Liability Insurance for Pack Horse Services

Pack Horse Operators charge a fee for carrying or packing supplies on horses or mules throughout remote areas for a third party. These third parties who contract pack horse operators could be resorts, park and government agencies, or outfitters for hunting and camping parties. This particular activity does not include anyone riding these animals, but several people ride horses that lead these pack horses that are carrying food, gear, documents, water, and other supplies that need to be delivered to campers, hunters, rescue teams, and trail riders. Sometimes pack horses are hired to haul discarded items out of the wilderness such as a downed aircraft, camping equipment of rescued hikers, and other things. With this responsibility, you need to have horse insurance for your particular business in case anything happens such as an injury.

As a Pack Horse Operator, you may worry that you could be sued or otherwise have a claim made against you for bodily injury or property damage by a customer, or someone else who comes in contact with you, your pack animals, or the property that is part of your commercial horse operations.  If sued, you will need to hire a lawyer to defend you and you wonder how you would go about doing this.  If found negligent or responsible, you would likely have to pay for either a court-ordered or agreed-upon settlement to the injured party.  Fortunately, much concern can be relieved when you buy a Commercial General Liability Policy [GL] to insure pack horse services.

Commercial General Liability Insurance protects you from financial loss should someone become injured [Bodily Injury] or their property is damaged [Property Damage] in relation to your operations, and they make a claim or file a lawsuit against you for damages.

How Risky is Pack Horse Services? Low to Moderate.

The risk varies according to the trail conditions and human usage.  If on a busy trail where people walk, the risk is greater than in a remote area where few ever go on foot.  It also may vary according to the value of the property being carried.  Horse activities are reasonably safe compared to many other activities people participate in.  Yet, horse-human activities do carry inherent risks.  Accidents do happen when people at different stages of capability attempt to touch, handle, train, ride, drive and control large animals that are unpredictable even when well trained.  And some horse-human accidents are serious.  Even with the best of intentions and management practices anyone can have a claim made against them and be sued.

Learn how to plan ahead with our Five-Pronged Strategy.

Related Coverages To Consider

If You Rent the Property Your Business Occupies, We Can Also Insure Your Tack, Equipment, and Machinery for Loss or Damage

As a stable property renter, you may not have access to property insurance for tack, equipment and machinery you use in your business. Ark Agency can insure these items by adding a Property Coverage Endorsement to the General Liability Policy. Additional premium is charged for this endorsement and the items and values must be declared in the application process.

General Liability Coverage & Limits

The General Liability Policy includes specified maximum limits or amounts of liability insurance for:

Medical Expense: Pays for low-cost medical expense with no questions asked about your liability or responsibility in the matter.

Legal Defense Costs: Today court costs and hiring of a lawyer can quickly mount to $50,000 or more, an expense you do not want to come out of your pocket if you are sued and have to hire a lawyer.  If sued in relation to this activity, the policy provides legal defense whether the case has merit or not.

Settlement or Claim Costs: For bodily injury and property damages for which you are responsible and held negligent and liable.

The  three most common claim incidents for Pack Horse Services:

1. Pack horses get loose and go off with gear and supplies being carried. They may cause damage or loss to property.

2. Pack horses on the move down a trail may injure a hiker or cyclist on the same trail.

3. A trespasser or visitor enters the area where horses or mules are waiting and are injured when trying to pet or handle them.

Where to Begin

Talk with one of our team members by calling 1-800-328-8894 to discuss your options for pack horse services. We work directly with you to decide which policy meets your exact needs and if we need to, we can tailor a policy to ensure you receive the horse insurance that is best for your business. We can also provide horse trainer insurance and horse mortality insurance.

*General information is provided on this insurance topic. Acting on our coverage recommendations does not guarantee coverage if you have a loss or claim.