Transport to the equine clinic: who pays for the trailer?

Who pays for transport to the equine clinic? Transport costs for the horse are excluded from cover, so owners have to pay for the trailer and the driver themselves. Horse surgery insurance does, however, cover the decisive operation costs once the horse is at the clinic.

Transport to the equine clinic: who bears the costs?

When a horse shows the symptoms of severe colic in the middle of the night, every minute counts. In such moments owners immediately face the question of the transporter and the travel costs it brings. Barmenia's general insurance conditions (AVB) for equine surgery cost insurance settle responsibility unambiguously: under clause 3.2 e), pure transport costs for the horse are expressly excluded from cover. The conditions provide no exception for life-threatening emergency runs to the nearest equine clinic.

In practice this means the following for horse owners: organising the trailer and the towing vehicle, hiring a driver and paying for a commercial horse taxi lie entirely with the keeper. The insurance covers the medical care, the preliminary examinations and the surgical procedure, but not the logistics of getting to the place of treatment. Anyone who is unprepared in an emergency has to settle the travel costs on the spot and at their own expense.

• The legal position: under clause 3.2 e) of Barmenia's AVB, transport costs count among the expenses that are not reimbursable.
• Full personal responsibility: the keeper bears the financial and organisational risk for the trip to the clinic.
• Emergency readiness: anyone commissioning commercial transport at night should know the provider's payment terms in advance.

To save valuable time when first aid is needed, owners should know exactly which costs transport will bring and how those costs can be budgeted for in advance.

Emergency transport to the clinic: what does a horse taxi cost?

When neither your own trailer nor a suitable towing vehicle is available, commercial animal transport or a horse taxi is often the only option. The cost structure of commercial providers is usually made up of several items: travel kilometres at 1.00 to 1.50 euros per kilometre, empty kilometres for the outward and return journey at around 0.60 euros per kilometre, hourly rates for waiting and loading time of roughly 15 to 18 euros for each hour started, and a flat fee of around 40 euros for cleaning and disinfecting the vehicle.

In an emergency this amount adds up quickly. For short distances, transport companies often charge a minimum flat fee of 180 to 250 euros, to which a surcharge from 50 euros is added for call-outs at night or on Sundays and public holidays. Because these travel expenses have to be settled on the spot, a liquidity reserve for transport is essential. Which clinic costs the insurance bears afterwards is governed by the conditions, for example in the case of treatment abroad or if the horse dies under anaesthesia.

Alternatives in an emergency: use your own trailer or your network

To avoid depending on costly horse taxis in an emergency, many horse owners rely on their own horse trailer or on a functioning stable community. Your own trailer secures maximum flexibility and constant readiness, but it requires a suitable towing vehicle with sufficient towing capacity as well as the corresponding driving licence. On top of that come the running costs for maintenance, the roadworthiness inspection and insurance.

• Your own rig: the greatest independence in an emergency, but it requires a powerful towing vehicle and regular maintenance.
• Stable network: make clear arrangements with fellow stable users about who can provide a trailer and a towing vehicle in an emergency.
• Trailer insurance: covering the trailer against third-party liability and comprehensive damage protects against financial surprises on the road.
• Trial run & loading practice: regular training noticeably reduces the stress of loading in emergency situations.

A prepared emergency plan at the stable is the best protection against chaos in the night. A list of contact details for fellow stable users who are ready to drive and for emergency transport services should be posted clearly visible on the noticeboard at the stable.

Waiting period and cover: when the insurance steps in

Even though the pure transport costs have to be borne personally, cover for medical treatment applies immediately once the horse arrives at the animal clinic and the contractual requirements are met. What decides whether the benefit is paid is compliance with the waiting periods and the absence of symptoms before the contract was concluded.

• Colic operations: a shortened waiting period of only 5 days applies to acute abdominal surgery.
• General illnesses: a waiting period of 3 months applies to most other illness-related operations.
• Accident-related operations: after an accident the waiting period is generally waived entirely.
• Preliminary examinations: examinations preparing for surgery on the day of the operation are covered in full.

With colic in particular, the short five-day waiting period proves life-saving. As soon as the horse has been examined at the clinic and declared to require surgery, the surgery cost insurance covers every medically necessary surgical service within the contractually agreed scope.

Inpatient stay: cover for the accommodation costs

After a successful operation, the horse's recovery usually requires several days of intensive monitoring at the clinic. While pure transport is paid for by the keeper, the insurance offers considerable financial relief for the accommodation that follows. Under the AVB, the costs of inpatient accommodation at the animal clinic are reimbursed up to the 10th calendar day after the operation.

• Clinic accommodation: accommodation costs covered up to 10 calendar days after the procedure.
• Follow-up treatment: medical aftercare and prescribed medication included up to the 14th day after the operation.
• Avoiding the cost trap: without insurance, intensive inpatient care often runs to several hundred euros a day.

A serious colic operation quickly causes total costs of several thousand euros including surgical instruments, anaesthesia and inpatient care. Covering the accommodation costs makes sure the horse can stay in specialist veterinary care without financial pressure until its condition is stable.

Conclusion: essential protection with horse surgery insurance

Although the exclusion of transport costs under clause 3.2 e) of the AVB is a direct burden in an emergency, the pure travel costs pale in comparison with the immense sums of surgical treatment at a clinic. Commercial emergency transport costs a few hundred euros, while a colic or fracture operation including aftercare easily reaches four- to five-figure amounts.

• Predictable travel expenses: budget transport costs in advance as a personal contribution or an emergency reserve.
• Protection against major risks: cover the medical operation costs and the accommodation up to the 10th day.
• Tariff choice: secure reimbursement of up to twice the rate of the German scale of veterinary fees (GOT).

The horse surgery insurance from nextsure – underwritten by Barmenia Allgemeine Versicherungs-AG – absorbs this major financial risk reliably. With flexible tariff options, reimbursement of up to twice the GOT rate and a free choice of clinic worldwide, the cover makes sure that in an emergency only the horse's welfare decides.