Care, Custody & Control insurance is meant to cover people who board or train horses or are otherwise responsible for other people’s horses while breeding, showing, or racing them. The policy pays sums you are legally obligated to pay to others for death, injury or theft of horses in your care, custody, or control.
Example: a boarder’s horse dies of colic while it is at your barn, and the owner sues you for negligence.
Almost all general or commercial liability policies exclude coverage for injury or death to any horse in your care, custody or control.
This coverage does not apply to horses you own or lease, which typically are covered by a mortality policy. Also, a Care, Custody & Control policy also does not cover you if a third-party’s horse in your care injures someone or damages their property. The Care, Custody & Control policy only protects you against claims of damage or loss of the third-party’s horse itself.
The policy typically pays for damages to horses and defense costs for suits brought against you. Premiums are usually based upon the average number of horses in your care or the total number of horses in any one barn, whichever is greater.
The basic policy also covers you if a horse is injured during incidental transit (hauling) of horses. “Incidental transit” is usually defined as 6 trips of 150 miles or less per year. The mileage restriction can usually be eliminated for an additional premium.
This coverage is especially recommended for trainers due to the multiple ways a horse can be injured in the course of a training program.
In addition to a Care, Custody & Control policy, I also recommended that trainers and boarding facilities get a written agreement with clients that includes 1) a “risk of loss” clause where the client assumes all risk of loss or injury to the horse; and 2) a veterinary power of attorney whereby the client agrees that the trainer or boarding facility has the discretion to provide veterinary care if the owner cannot be contacted.
Photo credit: Markus Shaltrin