The price of horse insurance has been going up everywhere, but in Great Britain, customers with one of the country's leading equine insurers are demanding an explanation for sharp increases in their premiums this year.
Internet forums tell of increasesof 50 to 100%, even to policies where no claims have been made
Long regarded as a reputable and good-value insurance company, NFU's renewals in the first three months of 2011 showed noticeable hikes, with some policy-holders reporting massive 50-100% increases in premiums.
Although the trend is not universal, it is being blamed on the increased cost of veterinarian's fees plus the fact that horses are living longer and owners are treating and maintaining them as they advance in years.
In some cases, insurers have been pricing policies at unsustainable levels and now they are increasing their premiums to cover the costs of charging premiums that were not sufficient to maintain company growth.
Vets charges for basic services has increased steadily and new treatments and diagnostic techniques, for example CAT scans, are driving costs upward.