Procedure for taking over a horse
If your horse is insured under the Equipe 3 or Equipe 4 insurance policy and your horse is found to be completely and permanently unfit, you may be entitled to compensation.
Please note: negative advice for purchase or sale does not mean that the horse is permanently unsuitable.
In most cases, a period of treatment precedes the procedure, and we are already aware of any developments regarding your horse's treatment. Therefore, it is crucial to report any damage or suspected damage within 24 hours, even if you do not have supplementary health insurance. This gives the insurer the opportunity, if necessary, to advise, intervene, or refer you to a specialist or veterinarian on the list.
Please send us all documents, such as the veterinarian's statement and all available X-rays, ultrasound images, etc. In some cases, these documents will be submitted to our veterinary advisor for review. Once we have determined that the damage is covered, we will contact you to discuss the options for reimbursement.
Generally, you will be presented with the following three options:
1. Taking over your horse
Your horse will be slaughtered in a dignified manner in the Netherlands. If you wish, you can be present at the end of your horse's life.
Once you have decided to take over your horse from the insurance company, we will inform the company that carries out the slaughter.
They will contact you to schedule a pick-up appointment for your horse. As soon as your horse is slaughtered, they will notify us. The insurance will then be terminated, and the agreed-upon payment will be made to you. You will, of course, receive written confirmation of this.
2. Euthanasia
If you prefer to have your horse euthanized yourself, you can arrange this with a licensed veterinarian of your choice, after consulting with us. The veterinarian must prepare a euthanasia certificate, which we request you to submit to us. The insurance will then be terminated, and the agreed-upon payment will be made to you. You will, of course, receive written confirmation of this.
In the event of euthanasia of the horse, we apply a residual value that is deducted from the payment. This residual value serves as compensation for the slaughter fee owed to the insurer. We determine the residual value for each horse. The costs of euthanasia and disposal of your horse are your responsibility.
3. Keeping your horse through a buy-back scheme
In some cases, it's possible to keep your horse and provide it with a good retirement. The decisive factor here is your horse's well-being.
Once you, the attending veterinarian, and the inspector have decided, in consultation with you, the horse's owner, and the inspector, that you can keep your horse, you will need to sign a contract stipulating that the horse may never be entered in competitions again and may not be resold without informing us. If you keep the horse, we will apply a residual value that will be deducted from the payment. We determine the residual value for each horse. After receiving the signed contract, we will settle the claim with you.
Damage not covered
In certain situations, it is possible for a horse to be deemed permanently unfit, but the damage will not be covered by insurance.
This applies, for example, to lameness not caused by an accident, such as osteoarthritis, spavin, or navicular disease, and your horse is insured under the terms of the Equipe 3 Horse Insurance. In this case, we will not be able to claim compensation from your insurance.
Should you subsequently choose to have the horse slaughtered or euthanized, we would appreciate receiving official proof (certificate of slaughter or euthanasia declaration). The insurance will then be terminated.
