Insurance for riding other people’s horses. Everything you need to know.

Switzerland is home to some 140,000 enthusiastic equestrians, who ride everything from Haflingers and Westphalians to Icelandic horses. Many do not own their horse; instead, they use horse-sharing schemes or riding schools or borrow animals from friends. Since riding is a high-risk sport and several thousand riding accidents occur every year, you should make sure that you are well insured.

Personal liability insurance covers the costs if a riding accident results in damage or injury to third parties – for example if a horse escapes while out on a ride, bolts onto a road and causes a traffic accident.

Please note, however: if a borrowed horse is injured, normal liability insurance is not sufficient as the animal is legally regarded as third-party property. And this can quickly become very expensive. Additional cover for riding other people’s horses is therefore recommended.

If you are injured yourself in a riding accident, your accident insurance will cover the costs. And if the accident is attributable to the behaviour of the horse, animal owner’s liability insurance comes into effect.

This supplementary cover makes particular sense for people who regularly ride horses that they do not own themselves. For example, if you are part of a horse-sharing scheme, foster a horse or ride horses from a riding school outside of riding lessons.

In the event of an accident for which the rider is at fault, he or she is liable and not the horse owner. The costs of this can easily skyrocket – for veterinary treatment or in the event of a permanent injury to the horse, for example. For that reason, supplementary insurance is often required before you are allowed to ride another person’s horse in the first place.

The supplementary insurance covers the costs incurred if borrowed horses or equipment are injured or damaged in an incident that is deemed to be your fault – for example, if a horse bolts and injures itself because you saddled it incorrectly. The insurance will then cover the veterinary expenses, the costs for the damaged equipment and any other compensation paid to the owner.

Riding other people’s horses is not automatically covered by your personal liability insurance. We therefore recommend that you take out appropriate supplementary cover. Allianz supplementary insurance for riding other people’s horses pays the costs of injury or damage to hired or borrowed horses and riding equipment. That way, you will not end up with a big bill if something happens to the horse and you are at fault.

Our advisors will be happy to help you find the perfect insurance cover for your needs.