Horse insurance by Pet-n-Sur...
NZ horse owners #1 Choice

Equine insurance is a smart move for your horse's health and your financial well-being.

With insurance, you can ensure your horse gets the best possible care they need without the stress of finding a way to fund it.

It's not just about avoiding big vet bills – our flexible ‘Build Your Own’ Equine Plan allows you to create the level and type of cover that works for you, your horse and your budget! Find out more here.

Of course, you can do this!

However, the amount you would have available could be a lot less – for example, put aside $50 a month for a year and you would have $600 available after 12 months. For a 5-year-old horse, you could create a customised ‘Build Your Own’ Equine Plan with the same $50 a month that provides $11,000 veterinary cover that would be available in the first month! And when you renew your policy, you could have another $11,000 available the next year.

That is the risk you need to assess based on your own needs and circumstances. Our recommendation is to take out a policy as early as possible (we offer cover on horses from 12 months old).

Our ‘Build Your Own’ Equine option allows you to select various levels of cover for Vet Fees, Mortality, Disposal costs, Saddlery / Tack, Trailer, In transit, Theft, Loss of Entry Fees – we can even provide cover for horse-drawn buggies and Donkeys! And, you can select the level of excess that works for you, your horse and your budget.

Equine BYO – You choose, Your options, Your plan!

We get asked this question a lot. The simple answer is that it all depends. With our Build Your Own Plan, you have the flexibility to customise the level and type of cover you need.

It's a good idea to review your cover every year. By checking your policy annually, you can make sure it still covers everything your horse might need and you can adjust your cover to match any changes in your horse’s intended use and value.

Yes! As long as your policy is renewed each year, Pet-n-Sur can cover your precious horse for life! There are some limits on the components and level of cover available for older horses.

The maximum entry age is 24 years 11 months. To view more info on our plans, click here.

You sure can! At Pet-n-Sur Equine, we provide cover for both of these - and with our Build Your Own Plan, you can choose the level and type of cover that is best for you and your miniature horse or donkey.

Depending on the value of a horse, a 2-stage or 5-stage certificate may be required. Our equine team will advise you when we receive your application.

When you selected your policy and any additional add-on items, you had the option to select a level of co-pay. A minimum excess will apply per approved claim or the amount of co-pay that you have selected, whichever is greater. The amount of this minimum excess is written in your Policy Schedule . This co-pay amount and or excess (whichever is the greater) will be deducted before payment of any approved claim. Note that the co-pay does not apply to a claim relating to reimbursement of Vaccination costs for your horse. In that case, we will contribute $50.00 per annum.

An example of a Claim on a Policy where the chosen cover amount is $10,000 for Veterinary costs and the chosen Co-Pay is 20%

A claim is received totalling $2,000 for a qualifying veterinary treatment. First, we would see if the co-pay amount exceeds the minimum excess of $500. In this example, 20% of $2,000 = $400

As the co-pay is less than the minimum excess of $500 we would deduct $500 as this is the larger sum. We would then reimburse $1,500

Once the reimbursement has been completed, available coverage in the current policy year for Veterinarian Cover would reduce from $10,000 to $8,500 (‘the after-claim balance’). The after-claim balance would then become the maximum that you could claim for Veterinary Treatments until the renewal date for your policy.

You will find more info on how Co-Pay works on the Our Plans page and in your Policy Schedule.

You will have 7 days after the Commencement Date of your policy to consider the full terms and conditions of the policy you have taken out. If you are not happy or change your mind during this 'free look' period, notify us in writing and we will cancel the cover and refund any payments you have made. An exception to this would be if you make a claim during the 'free look' period.

After the 'free look' period has passed, we understand that you have considered the Policy Schedule and Wording and we commit to providing the cover you requested.

Yes, on new policies there is a 21 day stand-down period for medical treatments and 7 day stand-down period for accident related treatments from the day your cover commences. However, with Pet-n-Sur, when your policy is renewed, the stand down period is waived!

Yes, Specialist Veterinarian costs are covered. You will find more details on the Our Plans page. And your Policy Schedule and Wording will contain full details on cover for Specialist Treatments.

Pre-existing conditions mean any health problems your horse had before you got the insurance. We don't cover these in our policies because they were already there when you signed up. Equine insurance is all about helping out with unexpected issues down the road.

Hereditary conditions are health issues in your horse that are linked to their breed's genetics. These conditions might not be obvious to the horse's parents, but they follow a family pattern or a breed tendency. Pet-n-Sur covers hereditary conditions that show up for the first time after your horse turns three!

No. This is the main reason why Pet-n-Sur and your vet recommend you get your horse covered as early as possible and keep them covered each year!

The short answer is, Yes!

Pet-n-Sur will provide cover for the life of your horse even if they require ongoing treatment. Your Co-Pay percentage will vary on ongoing and chronic conditions however as long as your Policy is renewed each year, your horse will have access to the full benefits available every year.

For more info, head over to the Our Plans page. Full details are contained in your Policy Schedule and Wording.

Most medical/surgical policies cover emergency treatments, but you should verify if there are restrictions on specific conditions or types of emergency care.

Claim forms are available on our website for download.

Simply complete the form, attach all clinical summaries and receipts relating to the claim and upload your files here or send it to us by email (or snail mail or even fax it if you want!)

We will acknowledge receipt of your claim and our in-house Claims Team will manage your claim.

Our goal is to make the process as stress-free as possible for you.

You can help us help you by taking the time to ensure your Claim Form is fully completed and all Clinical Notes and receipts for payment are attached - incomplete claim forms are the number 1 reason for delays!

Obviously, some claims are more complex than others and can take longer to effectively manage. However, we are committed to processing your claim as efficiently as possible.

And we don't just say that, we do that - 99.3% of claim payments are made within 14 days!

The claim form on the site needs to be opened either in a Chrome browser or saved to your computer and opened with Adobe Acrobat Reader. There is a link to download this for free on our Claims Page.

Sometimes, browsers like Firefox, Edge and Safari will open the claim form but you can't fill it in. If this happens, remember to save the pdf file to your computer or mobile device and then open the claim form with your Adobe Acrobat Reader.

If you still have problems, email claims@horsensur.co.nz and let us know how you would like us to send you a claim form.

Yes - you have to pay for vet expenses upfront.

Like many other horse insurance providers, we operate on a reimbursement basis - meaning horse owners are required to pay for vet services upfront and then submit a claim to us for reimbursement.

This approach provides two advantages.

First, it empowers you to choose any vet for your horse's healthcare enabling you to make healthcare decisions based on your preferences and cater to the unique needs of your beloved horse.

Second, it simplifies the process. Dealing with payments directly with the vet makes things less complicated. The reimbursement model ensures a smoother process for getting your money back. The insurance company can focus on reviewing and approving claims rather than managing payments to numerous vet offices.

Yes, you can!

Pre-Approval is when we review an event prior to the procedure to advise on what cover will be available. Pet-n-Sur can look at pre-approving a claim when the estimated costs are $1,000 or greater.

We just need a few days notice and a full clinical history to make the assessment (note that pre-approval is applicable on future-dated events and is not a pre-payment - it is a review prior to the relevant procedure to give you peace of mind on what you could be covered for).

For pre-approval on upcoming claims, get hold of our Claims Team on 0800 738 678 or email claims@horsensur.co.nz as early as possible.

Your Policy Schedule and Policy Wording contains all the Terms and Conditions that relate to the Policy you choose. Once you receive that document, read through it to make sure you are happy with the cover you selected.

Our Equine Policy Wording can be viewed here - Equine Plans.

If you have any questions or queries regarding your cover, get hold of us via the Contact Page or call our team on 0800 738 678.

All licensed insurers are required to have a financial strength rating ("FSR") from a rating agency authorised for this purpose by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. Beneficial Insurance Limited has been rated B++ Outlook Stable by AM Best Company. The AM Best company financial strength rating scale is as follows:

Secure

A++, A+ (Superior); A, A- (Excellent); B++, B+ (Good)

Vulnerable

B, B- (Fair); C++, C+ (Marginal); C, C- (Weak); D (Poor); E (Under Regulatory Supervision)