Making a Claim

If you need to make a claim, we’re here to help.

At Carriagehouse Insurance, we try to make the claims process as easy as possible.

Follow these steps to make a claim:

Step One: Report your claim by either:

  1. Calling 01206 337388 during office hours, 9.00am – 5.00pm Monday to Friday
  2. Emailing us with details of the incident at info@carriagehouseinsurance.co.uk
  3. Use one of the claim forms below by clicking on the type of claim you are submitting

Step Two:  Follow all veterinary advice with regards to the care and welfare of your horse. For property or third-party claims take all reasonable care to limit any further loss, damage or injury.

Step Three: complete and submit your claim form

Step Four: For horse claims, arrange for your vet to complete the Veterinary Surgeons Report form and return it with your horse’s clinical history and the invoices. 

Step Five: We will contact you with details of any extra information or estimates required in order for us to proceed with processing your claim.

Please see the appropriate form for any addition responsibilities you must adhere to.

The claim forms for horse or donkey veterinary fee, death or permanent incapacity claims can be printed from the links below:

Frequently asked questions

Most of the important information will be shown above or within the info boxes available within the claim form

Will the Insurance Company pay if I have a claim?

Yes, provided that the claim is in line with the cover purchased then they will.

In the main, here at Carriagehouse we handle the claims in house and are happy to discuss anything relating to your claim with you. Be aware that you must report an incident or illnesses etc as soon as you can after they happen, whether or not you actually submit a claim in the long run. If you’re not sure, always ring your us as it can save some heartache in the long run.

If my horses/donkeys cause any damage or injury, will it be paid for?

This is probably the most frequently asked question that we receive and stems from the lack of understanding about the responsibilities that current UK Law places on us as individuals. In order to submit a third party claim, you must have purchased Legal Liability cover for injury to other people or damage their property to be covered by the policy.

However, if an accident happens to which there attaches, in the eyes of the law, some degree of fault, then a successful claim will be made against you and your insurance. Sadly, each accident has it’s own unique set of circumstances and, therefore, each case is judged on its own merits. So it may be that you aren’t legally liability for the damage that as arisen and therefore your claim may be disputed (see next question).  But one word of warning – Never admit liability, because this could jeopardise your insurance cover. The best advice is to let the Underwriters handle all correspondence and decide the outcome for you.

Does my policy cover me for disposal costs if I loose my horse?

If you have a suscessful death claim, then the policy will cover you for up to £300 towards removal of the carcass.

Does my policy cover me for the cost of getting my horse to the Vets?

The policy includes up to £200 towards either the cost of a transporter taking your horse to the vets or horsebox hire or a mileage rate of 20p per loaded mile if you use your own transport.

If my horse is at the vet’s and they find multiple problems is this one claim or not?

Under the terms of our policy, if more than one problem is ,or set of symptoms are present i.e. multiple pathologies, investigated and/or diagnosed during the same set of investigations and subsequent treatment, they will all be considered to be one claim whether or not the conditions are related to one another.

If during this treatment and rehabilitation, it becomes apparent that there are other problems or the diagnosis is revised, then these are also part of the same claim. However each case is different and it is possible for two claims to run concurrently depending on the exact circumstances and conditions being claims for.

Under our revised policy wording applicable from 1st July 2017, this is clarified with the Veterinary Fees extension.

What should I do if my vet suggests an MRI, CAT or Bone Scan?

You or your vet must contact us straight away so that we can authorise this for you. We will require a written or email report and copy of your horse’s clinical history from your vets to confirm what investigations have already been done, what they suspect might be wrong and why they want to send your horse for one of these scans. NB If the scan isn’t authorised before it is performed, your claim for this will not be covered by the insurance.

If a scan is subsequently authorized by us you will have to pay a co-insurance i.e. a percentage of the cost of the scan and related drugs yourself. This is currently 25% of the cost of MRI/CT scans and 50% of the cost of bone scans (this reduced to 25% for policies starting after 1/8/18)

What if I don’t claim and therefore don’t tell you about the previous problems my horse has had?

These days at the start of your new policy and at each policy renewal you will be asked health questions about your horse, which you must answer truthfully. When a claim is made, we ask for a copy of your horse’s clinical history from all the vets that have treated him whilst you have owned him. If you don’t declare a previous problem or veterinary treatment, it will show on this history.  This is tantamount to mis-representation of a material fact and means that your claim will be declined.

What happens if the Underwriters decline my third party claim?

If you have Legal Liability cover on your policy and a claim is made against you by a third party, there may be circumstances where the Underwriters (and yourself) feel that you aren’t at fault and they will then dispute any claims made by the third party. However if they do this then they will defend you and whilst any legal action is done in your name, all Solicitors etc are appointed and paid for by the Underwriters.