Horse Insurance on UK Livery Yards: Protecting Businesses, Owners and Horses

Running a livery yard in the UK comes with both opportunities and responsibilities. One of the most critical aspects for yard owners is ensuring that both their business and the horses kept on-site are fully insured. SEIB’s team of Livery Yard insurance experts discuss the importance of having the correct insurance in place, not only protecting the yard itself but also providing peace of mind that, if the unexpected happens, everyone is covered.

Yard Owners’ Responsibilities

At the most basic level, a livery yard should have appropriate business insurance, including public liability, employers’ liability, CCC (Care, Custody and Control), and cover for buildings, equipment, and facilities. However, Livery Yard Insurance is only one part of the picture. Yard owners also need to be confident that the individual horse owners using their facilities are insured properly, too.

Horse Owners’ Liability Insurance

Every horse owner keeping their horse at a yard should hold a public liability insurance policy as a minimum for their horse (often referred to as horse owners’ liability). This protects the owner if their horse causes damage or injury to another person, animal, or property. For example, if a horse were to escape and damage a car, or injure a member of the public, liability insurance would cover these costs. For yard owners, knowing that each horse on-site is insured for such risks is an important safeguard against claims that could potentially land at the yard’s door.

Yard owners are well advised to request proof of this cover from every livery client and keep a copy on file. Requiring up-to-date liability cover as part of livery contracts is becoming increasingly common and is a sensible way to manage risk.

Additional Insurance for Horse Owners

Beyond liability, many horse owners choose additional policies:

• Veterinary cover – helps cover unexpected vet bills, which can quickly become very costly.
• Loss of use insurance – provides compensation if a horse can no longer perform its intended job (e.g., competition or riding).
• Personal accident insurance – cover for the rider in the event of injury.

These policies are for the benefit of the horse owner rather than the yard, but ensuring owners are well-covered helps reduce the risk of disputes or unpaid bills that could impact yard operations.

Tack, Trailers and Horseboxes

It is also important to stress that Livery Yard Insurance does not usually cover individual liveries’ tack. Each horse owner is responsible for insuring their own tack and equipment. Owners should check that their policy covers tack away from home, and that it is stored in compliance with insurance requirements. It is also good practice not to keep unnecessary valuables on the yard or in vehicles.

Similarly, any horseboxes or trailers kept on site should be fully insured by their owners. Yards should make it clear that they are not liable for theft or damage to these vehicles.

Loaners, Sharers and Riders’ Policies

Where horses are shared, loaned, or ridden by someone other than the owner, it is essential to ensure insurance covers these riders too. Owners can either extend their horse insurance policy to cover additional riders or ask the sharer/loaner to take out their own rider insurance policy that includes personal liability cover. Yard owners may also want reassurance that anyone riding on their premises is adequately insured.

Checking policy wording

It is important for liveries to understand what their insurance cover provides. For example, some membership policies may be one ‘of last resort,’ meaning that the policy would only come into effect in the event of a claim, once all other relevant insurance policies had been exhausted.

It is also important to check within the policy wording and schedules regarding any conditions that may apply in relation to ‘member to member’ claims or other specific policy conditions.  For example, some package/member policies may include specific exclusions around claiming against other members, who also hold the same policy with the same member provider. In the event of a claim, if two liveries who held the same insurance with the same membership provider were to try and claim against one another, there is no guarantee cover would be in place. This would be reviewed by the insurer on a case-by-case basis. 

Service Providers on Yards

Many yards host freelance professionals such as riding instructors, grooms, farriers, physiotherapists, or chiropractors. It is vital that anyone carrying out work on site has their own professional liability insurance in place. Yard owners should request a copy of these certificates for their records, just as they would with livery clients’ horse liability cover.

Good Practice for Yard Owners

To protect themselves and their clients, yard owners can:

• Write clear insurance requirements into their livery agreements.
• Request proof of insurance from horse owners and service providers annually.
• Keep copies of certificates on file.
• Remind liveries of their responsibility to insure tack, trailers, and vehicles.

By taking these steps, yard owners can safeguard their business, protect liveries, and ensure everyone on-site is covered should the unexpected occur. Insurance may feel like an extra layer of paperwork, but it is an essential foundation for a safe, professional and well-managed yard.

If you own a livery yard, keep it safe with valued protection from SEIB Insurance Brokers. Call us now to get a Livery Yard Insurance quote on 01708 850 000 or email info@seib.co.uk to find out more.

About SEIB

SEIB Insurance Brokers have been providing insurance for Horses for over 60 years. We provide a flexible range of policies to suit your needs from Horsebox Insurance and Horse Trailer Insurance too.