What coverage is available if my horse gets sick or has an injury?
You may want to consider purchasing Major Medical coverage for your horse to protect yourself if you have unexpected veterinary bills. This coverage will reimburse you for your veterinary fees in the event your horse has an injury, illness, or disease. It provides coverage for diagnostics such as X-rays, ultrasounds, blood work, bone scans, spinal taps, etc. as well as for treatment. Keep in mind that under the terms of your mortality policy, you are required to give proper care and attention to your horse. If your horse develops a serious problem such as EPM, colic, or has a fracture and the veterinarians believe your horse can be saved, you are expected to provide for that care. Humane destruction is covered under the mortality policy, but economic destruction is not. If you choose to put your horse down for financial reasons, the mortality coverage would not apply. Major Medical/Surgical coverage would help you with these veterinary expenses. There are two Major Medical plans available. The Up to $7,500 Annual Aggregate Limit coverage offers a limit of a maximum of $7,500, not to exceed the horse's insured mortality limit, subject to a $250 deductible per illness, injury or incident. The $10,000 Annual Aggregate Limit offers a limit of $10,000, subject to a $250 deductible per illness, injury or incident. Major Medical/Surgical coverage is available for horses between 6 months and 15 years of age. When comparing Medical coverages from different companies, ask to see the wording to see what exactly is covered and more importantly, what is not covered. For example, some companies limit how long they will provide coverage for a problem. Our company provides coverage for a problem for the entire policy period in which it happened. This can be quite important if you are dealing with a serious problem like EPM where the medication and treatment is both lengthy and costly.

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What if my horse becomes permanently disabled and can never compete again? Is there coverage to protect me if this happens?
There are two types of Loss of Use coverage available to protect you in the event your horse becomes permanently unable to perform its insured use, but is not ill or injured enough to require humane destruction. These coverages help to reimburse you for the loss in your horse's value. Loss of Use coverages are intended for performance horses, not breeding or pleasure horses, and are available for select uses only.

External Injury Only Loss of Use provides coverage in the event your horse is permanently unable to perform its insured function as a result of a visible, external, accidental and violent means injury. Examples of these types of injuries are if your horse was in a trailering accident, if he was kicked by another horse, or if he ran into a pasture fence or collided with a jump. If your horse is just galloping around the pasture and tears a suspensory ligament, this would not be covered by the External Injury Only Loss of Use. Full Loss of Use Including Economic Destruction provides coverage in the event your horse is permanently unable to perform its insured function due to an accident, injury, illness or disease as long as these were not pre-existing conditions. Full Loss of Use coverage would include coverage for conditions such as a torn suspensory, EPM, moon blindness, or degenerative problems like arthritis or navicular, as long as they first occurred during the policy period.

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How do I get Loss of Use coverage?
The External Injury Only Loss of Use coverage is available for horses ages 1-17 years for select uses only, and does not require any additional Vet Certificate. Full Loss of Use coverage is available for horses ages 2-12 years for select uses only, and requires the submission of our Full Loss of Use Vet Certificate for coverage consideration. This exam includes a basic health exam as well as flexion tests and narratives of the required X-rays. A drug screen taken at the time of the exam is also required for horses valued over $25,000. Both types of Loss of Use coverage require Major Medical/Surgical coverage, or Surgical Only coverage if your horse is 16 or 17 years old and you select External Injury Only Loss of Use. Please call for more information if you are interested in either of these coverages.

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I've heard that if a Loss of Use claim is paid, the company can take the horse?
There is a provision in the Loss of Use coverage wording that gives the company the authority to take possession of a horse in the event a loss of use claim is paid. This is not a common occurrence but is necessary to prevent fraud.

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I have a mare, how does that affect the Loss of Use coverage?
For mares that are used for competition, it is important to remember that they may have a residual value as a broodmare in the event they are no longer able to compete. Most likely the insurance company would deduct the mare's residual value as a broodmare from the claim settlement.

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Is there any type of infertility coverage for my breeding stallion?
Yes. You can add the Stallion Infertility for Accident, Sickness and Disease coverage to your mortality policy. This coverage helps protect you in the event your proven breeding stallion is permanently unable to get mares in foal as the result of an accident, sickness or disease.

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Can I get Loss of Use coverage without mortality coverage?
No. The Full Mortality coverage is the actual policy. Loss of Use coverages are coverage options which you add to the policy.

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What happens if my horse develops a health problem or lameness during the policy? Will the company renew the coverage?
In the majority of cases, the company will offer renewal with an exclusion for the specific problem depending on its severity.

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Do I need a Veterinary Certificate completed each year to renew my policy?
If your horse is sound and healthy and you are insuring him for $25,000 or less, a Vet Certificate is not required. If you are insuring your horse for more than $25,000, if your horse has an ongoing health condition, or if you have Full Loss of Use coverage on the policy, a Vet Certificate will be required.

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How quickly can I get coverage?
To obtain mortality coverage, we need a completed application, a satisfactory Statement of Health for horses valued at $25,000 or less, a Vet Certificate for horses valued over $25,000, and payment. Fax or mail the required documents to us and as long as the information meets our underwriters' criteria, we can bind coverage immediately with your payment.

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What are my payment options?
You can pay by personal check or money order. Direct bill, 4 pay payment plans are also available with a required 25% down.

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Sage Insurance is licensed in: Oregon #811346, Washington #183315, Idaho Non-Resident # AG084328, Resident #AG134350, Nevada #10373, California #OD34031, Arizona #116594, New York #PC940862, Ohio #28048, Utah #105283