The Wrangler Horse and Rodeo News

which can be twice the stud fee or the stud fee plus vet expenses, or purchase price. Churchill explained, "The rate is determined by the underwriters and it does vary based on those parameters. Typically it will be double the stud fee or the stud fee plus reasonable vet expenses. If there is a purchase price, that can be used too. I have also had customers purchase an egg and then have the stud fee and vet expenses on top of that." There are a variety of policy lengths depending on your needs and preferences. The foal can be insured for periods of time from seven days of age up to a full year. Churchill explained, "It does get a little more expensive, but I feel like it is worth it to insure them for the extra time. When you have that much invested, it makes sense to insure them for a full year, especially when you can do it for less than you could add them onto your policy later." "I try to submit the information to two or three of my underwriters if possible, to get the best value for our customers. There are some instances where we can't use some companies. Most companies are going to require that the mare be insured as well. There are also guidelines on how old the mare that is carrying can be, they must be twelve and under," Churchill stated. When looking at what is covered in one of these policies, Churchill provided some sample policy wording, "If the mare does not give birth to a live foal and is not in foal at the expiration of the policy or the foal in utero is not alive at the expiration of the expiration of the policy." "If the mare is supposed to foal on April 1 and come May 15, the mare hasn't foaled, there was obviously a loss at some point. If the mare does not give birth and is not in foal, there are going to be times when you aren't going to know (if they aborted). There will need to be vet exams and statements for proof, but that is always a possibility," Churchill explained. Of course, veterinary exams play a key role in these policies. A veterinarian must verify that the mare is in foal, but not in foal with twins. There are specificities and exclusions regarding twin pregnancies. They also may need to examine the foal after birth. For Churchill's company to be able to bind coverage on an in utero foal, they need to have the veterinarian's exam within three days of submitting the policy. This includes an ultrasound or manual palpation to confirm pregnancy after the mare is 45 days in foal. If a loss occurs, there are several ways the proof can be provided to insurance. A recently aborted fetus and evidence of the mare having recently aborted, the delivery of a dead foal by the mare, the death of the named live foal born during the period of the insurance, or a post mortem examination of the mare revealing the existence of an unborn foal can all be used as proof of the loss. Obviously, the cost of each policy is going to vary and that's where the underwriter comes in. Churchill talked a bit about pricing, "It's fairly expensive. It's going to be approximately in the 17-23% range of the value. The cheapest quote I have ever gotten is 16% and we don't set those — the underwriters do. We work with several different underwriters and they all have various rates based on their own parameters." If you're interested in a prospective foal policy or any equine insurance policy, Trula Churchill can be reached at 402-376-6637 or trula@gethorseinsurance.com. Above: Trula Churchhill. Photo Credit: Chris Davis Photography Left: Trula at Rodeo Houston. Photo Credit: Impulse Photography

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