Expert Goetz Insurors, Inc.

Questions (For answers, scroll down or click on question)

Will my homeowner’s or farmowner’s policy cover me if I sell, board or train horses?

Are my barns and other buildings covered as adjacent structures under my homeowner’s policy?

If I board horses or trailer a friend’s horse to a show, what additional coverage do I need?

Questions and Answers

Q: Will my homeowner’s or farmowner’s policy cover me if I sell, board or train horses?

A: Homeowner’s and Farmowner’s policies contain a property and liability exclusion for business pursuits. If you accept money to care for or train another person’s horse or you breed horses to sell with the intent of making a profit, you are in business as defined by most insurance policies. To cover these activities you need a commercial general liability insurance policy.

Q: Are my barns and other buildings covered as adjacent structures under my homeowner’s policy?

A: Most homeowners policies limit coverage for business property. This limitation includes real property, your barns and other buildings, if they are used in whole or in part for any business activity. If you breed horses to sell with the intent of making a profit or board, train or give riding instruction, the buildings you use for these activities will not be covered by your homeowner’s policy.

Q: If I board horses or trailer a friend’s horse to a show, what additional coverage do I need?

A: Your homeowner’s or farmowner’s policy contains an exclusion for property of others in your care, custody or control. However, you may still be held liable for damage to property or injury to horses. To cover this gap you need a Care, Custody and Control policy. Although these policies vary in their exact coverage, they generally pay for injuries to non-owned horses in your care caused by your negligence.