Protecting your home and equestrian facilities: what to include in your insurance

Protecting your home and equestrian facilities: what to include in your insurance

If you keep horses at home, your equestrian facilities likely form an important part of daily life. However, many of these structures and features can be unintentionally missed when calculating buildings and contents sums insured. Stables, arenas, turnout areas and high‑value tack can all influence the cost of reinstating your property.

The buildings sum insured should reflect the full cost to rebuild your home and any outbuildings from scratch. This includes materials, labour, professional fees, and all permanent structures on your land, including equestrian facilities.

Understanding how each part of your equestrian setup affects your insurance helps ensure you’re properly protected. Below, we outline the key areas to consider - starting with the stables themselves.

The stables

When thinking about the sum insured for a stable block there are a couple of points to consider:

• Are the stables permanent?
• What is the construction?
• How many stables are in the block?

At many older properties, the stable block is a substantial, permanent building with its own foundations and can be as old as the main house. This means it often carries a much higher rebuild cost than people realise.

Stone or brick-built stables vs timber

Permanent stable blocks, made of brick, stone and tile, will have a higher rebuild cost than wooden stables.

Wooden stables are often placed upon metal sliders that act a stabiliser and have limited foundations, other than perhaps a shallower concrete slab. Due to this the rebuild cost per square metre of timber stables is usually a lot less than that of stone or brick.

Concrete flooring and yard areas

Another factor to consider in the rebuild value of stable blocks is the concrete flooring and surrounding yard. Equestrian yards usually have a concrete base that the stables will be erected on, and the base often extends further than the stables to create a safe area for handling horses and completing daily chores.

Any rebuild cost for stabling must include an allowance for the concrete base both under the stables and in the yard outside.

Additional equestrian features

Depending on your level of equestrian activity, you may have added extras in the stable block. These can include:

• Solariums
• Permanent wash bays
• Turnout pens
• Horse walkers

Solariums are heat lamps used to help dry a horse in winter. They are permanent mains-wired features and usually cost around £1,000, so should be factored into the rebuild sum insured.

Permanent wash bays may not significantly increase the rebuild value if they sit within the main structure, but high-value fixtures should still be included.

Hardstanding turnout pens help avoid using muddy fields during wet weather. The fencing and hardcore flooring costs should be added to the total rebuild value.

Horse walkers are permanent, wired-in structures with concrete foundations. They are used to exercise a horse while the stable is being cleaned or when a horse has excess energy. As permanent structures, they need to be included in your rebuild value.

Considering the ménage

Another factor in the rebuild sum is the ménage. A ménage is an arena, usually either 20m x 40m or 40m x 60m, where the horse is ridden.

Ménages are expensive to build. The approximate cost to construct one is upwards of £35,000, depending on the size and materials.

The surface is filled with a sand to create a soft but durable riding area. The sand is usually waxed to stop it being washed away in heavy rain. Because waxed sand is costs more, it increases the rebuild value.

It’s important to consider whether the ménage is indoor or outdoor. If indoor, the building structure itself must also be included in the rebuild sum. Typically wear and tear is not covered, but storm damage and similar perils usually are.

Covering tack items

You should also include horses tack under your contents sum insured. Saddles and bridles are made of leather and, when purchase from high-end designer brands, can be carry a high price tag.

• High-end saddles: £2,000 to £10,000+
• Mid-range saddles: around £1,000
• High-end bridles: around £1,000

If you own high-end tack, items should be specified individually on the policy to ensure they are correctly covered in the event of a loss. You should also ensure good security on the stable block or consider keeping expensive tack inside the main home.

When household cover isn’t enough

Some equestrian establishments may be too large or too commercial to be covered under a household policy. For example, if you hire out facilities to third parties, the liability cover under a household policy may not be sufficient.

In these cases, you may need a standalone liability policy that covers equestrian hire use.

Can anyone help me when it comes to setting my buildings sums insured?

If you are in any doubt that your buildings sums insured is too low, we recommend you obtain a professional valuation of your property. Companies such as BCH or RCA can survey your property and advise you of the rebuild cost. It’s important to note that this wouldn’t be a valuation but a reinstatement cost. To find out more read our article: What to expect when they’re inspecting

We have established relationships with both BCH and RCA and would be happy to talk you through the process. We’ll then make sure you’re properly insured and paying the right price for the most suitable policy. It’s just one of the many benefits of using a broker.

To speak to us about your home insurance, call 020 8256 4901 or email privateclients@howdeninsurance.co.uk