# Horse surgery insurance in Germany: covering the equine clinic bill > Colic on a Sunday, a kick in the paddock, a tendon injury: with horses, these end up at the equine clinic quickly. In Germany even the bare colic operation costs at least around 1,350 euros at the single rate of the official vet fee scale, before anaesthesia, clinic stay and aftercare. Surgery insurance covers exactly these bills; horse health insurance also pays treatment without an operation. Quelle/Source: https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-horse-surgery-insurance.php Updated: 2026-10-31 ## Does my horse need surgery insurance? For most owners in Germany, yes, if a clinic bill in the mid four figures would drain your savings. Colic and injuries can hit any horse, from a leisure pony to a competition horse. Full health insurance costs several times as much and mainly pays off for valuable sport horses. If you have a large cushion, carrying the risk yourself is a legitimate choice. ## At a glance - **Compulsory?:** no - **Vet fees:** set by the German fee scale for vets (GOT), also in equine clinics - **Colic surgery:** operation alone from about 1,350 € at the single rate, before clinic costs - **Annual limits:** often between 15,000 and 50,000 € - **Waiting period:** often about a week for colic, three to six months for illness ## Why equine surgery costs so much in Germany German vets, including equine clinics, bill under the GOT, the official fee scale that was raised substantially in November 2022. On top of the operation come anaesthesia, imaging, medication and stabling at the clinic. After colic surgery a horse usually stays five to seven days for monitoring, charged at a daily rate. Many colics happen at night or at weekends. Emergency service then applies: the vet charges at least twice the base rate plus an emergency fee. A policy that reimburses only up to twice the rate and has no emergency rule leaves a gap exactly when the bill is highest. ## Colic cover, surgery cover or health insurance Colic policies are the leanest option: they pay only for surgery after acute colic, often with limited aftercare. Surgery policies pay for any medically necessary operation, so also after accidents and for tendons, joints or tumours, including diagnostics and the clinic stay. Horse health insurance also pays treatment without surgery, such as medical colic treatment, lameness work ups and medication, and costs several times as much. Dogs and cats have their own page, with different policies and risks. ## What to check before you sign Insure early, because findings known before the start date are almost always excluded, including anything noted in the pre purchase vetting. Many insurers set a maximum entry age, and premiums rise as the horse gets older. Compare the annual limit, the fee scale rate reimbursed, how long aftercare is paid and the excess. If you compete, check that shows and training are included. Many policies exclude active racehorses and polo ponies altogether. ## What is covered - Operations under general anaesthesia, sedation or local anaesthetic - Colic surgery, including emergency service up to the rate stated in the policy - Diagnostics before surgery such as X ray, ultrasound or endoscopy - Clinic stay and stabling during aftercare - Medication and dressings related to the operation - Medically necessary dental treatment under anaesthesia, depending on the policy - Medical colic treatment and outpatient care, under health insurance ## What is not covered - Conditions and findings known before the policy started - Operations during the waiting period - Castration without medical reason and cosmetic procedures - Active racehorses, trotters and polo ponies, under many policies - Shoeing, feed, supplements and grooming - The value of the horse if it dies or is put down; that is horse mortality insurance ## Who needs it - Owners who could not pay a clinic bill of several thousand euros from savings - Owners of young, healthy horses who can still be insured without exclusions - Riders who compete, where tendons and joints take more strain - Buyers who want cover straight after a clean pre purchase vetting ## Who does not need it - Owners with enough savings to pay for colic surgery and aftercare themselves - Owners of very old horses with many prior findings, where little cover would remain ## What it costs Premiums depend on the horse's age and use, the annual limit and the scope of cover. Colic only policies are the cheapest; full health insurance costs several times as much as surgery cover. **What drives the premium:** - Age of the horse at the start and over time - Use: leisure, competition, breeding - Colic cover, surgery cover or health insurance - Annual limit and fee scale rate reimbursed - Excess per claim or per year _There is no recent independent comparison of horse surgery policies in Germany we could quote as a benchmark; the last Stiftung Warentest review dates from 2016. Your premium is fixed only in the quote._ ## The policy levels on the market - **Colic cover:** Surgery after acute colic only, aftercare often limited. A low cost entry, but no cover for accidents or other operations. - **Surgery cover:** All medically necessary operations with diagnostics, clinic and aftercare. Strong policies pay up to four times the rate in emergencies and have a high annual limit. - **Horse health insurance:** Also pays treatment without surgery, such as medical colic, lameness or respiratory disease. For valuable sport horses and owners who want every vet bill covered. ## How to recognise a good policy | Criterion | Minimum standard | Strong policy | Why it matters | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Annual limit | about 15,000 € a year | 50,000 € or unlimited | Two operations in one year, or colic with complications, exceed low limits. | | Fee scale rate | up to twice the GOT rate | up to four times, including emergency service | Colic often strikes at night or at weekends, when clinics charge more. | | Aftercare | a few days after surgery | at least seven clinic days, better several weeks | After colic surgery a horse usually stays five to seven days. | | Pre surgery diagnostics | covered only from the operation | imaging before surgery included | X ray, ultrasound and endoscopy are a large share of the bill. | | Waiting period | three to six months for illness | accidents from day one, colic after a few days | During the waiting period you pay without cover. | | Excess | percentage of each bill | none or a fixed annual amount | Twenty percent of a large clinic bill is a lot of money. | | Competition | leisure use only | shows and training included | Sport horses injure tendons and joints more often. | ## Insurers on the German market In Germany, horse surgery and health insurance is offered by specialist animal insurers and several large property insurers. Policies differ mainly in annual limit, aftercare and emergency rate. - **Uelzener**: mutual insurer specialising in animal and horse insurance, colic, surgery and health policies - **Allianz**: surgery and full health cover for horses, agents and brokers - **Barmenia**: tiered colic and surgery policies for horses - **R+V**: insurer of the cooperative banks, horse surgery cover - **Die Bayerische**: horse surgery and colic surgery policies - **Provinzial**: public sector insurer with animal insurance for horses 155 insurers supervised by BaFin, the German regulator, are licensed for this class of insurance. (Hagel-, Frost- und sonstige Sachschäden). Source: BaFin company database, 2026-09-18; EU insurers without a German office excluded. ## Typical claims and who pays - **Sunday colic, emergency surgery** (several thousand €, with clinic often 6,000 to 10,000 €): Colic cover pays for the operation, but often only up to twice the rate and with short aftercare. Strong policies pay the emergency rate and a week in the clinic. - **Kicked in the field, fracture** (several thousand €): Colic only cover pays nothing for accident surgery. Surgery cover pays the operation, diagnostics and aftercare. - **Colic treated with fluids only** (a few hundred to over a thousand €): Without an operation, surgery cover usually pays nothing. Some policies have a medical colic module; health insurance pays it. - **Tendon injury in a show horse** (diagnostics and treatment often four figures): If it is operated on, surgery cover pays as long as competition use is included. Long conservative treatment is paid only by health insurance. - **Tooth extraction under anaesthesia** (a few hundred to over a thousand €): Some surgery policies explicitly include medically necessary dental work under anaesthesia; basic ones do not. - **Chip seen at vetting is removed** (several thousand €): Anything visible in the pre purchase vetting counts as a known finding. No policy pays for it, so share the report before you sign. ## Myth or truth - „Colic insurance pays for every colic treatment." ✘ False: colic cover usually pays only for surgery. Many colics are treated without an operation, and that bill stays with the owner unless there is a health module. - „Equine clinics in Germany bill under the same fee scale as small animal vets." ✔ True: the German fee scale for vets applies to all species. That is why the reimbursed GOT rate is the key figure in a horse policy too. - „A horse with a known condition cannot be insured at all." ✘ False: many insurers still accept the horse and exclude only the known finding. A few policies also take horses with prior conditions. - „Accidents are often covered from the first day." ✔ True: many insurers waive the waiting period for accidents, and colic often has only a few days. Other illnesses usually need several months. - „Surgery insurance pays out if the horse has to be put down." ✘ False: it does not replace the horse's value; that is what horse mortality insurance is for. Whether surgery cover pays the cost of euthanasia depends on the policy. ## Common mistakes - Waiting after the pre purchase vetting and then insuring with a known finding - Choosing colic cover and assuming accidents are included - Not checking how many clinic days of aftercare are paid - Accepting a low annual limit to save a few euros - Not declaring competition use when the policy covers leisure horses only ## FAQ ### What is the difference between colic cover and surgery cover? Colic cover pays only for surgery after acute colic. Surgery cover pays for any medically necessary operation, including after accidents and for tendon, joint or tumour surgery. ### Does surgery insurance pay for colic treated without an operation? Usually not, because no operation means no claim. Medical colic treatment with fluids and drugs is paid by horse health insurance or by an add on module some insurers offer. ### How long is the waiting period? It depends on the policy. Colic often has only a few days, other illnesses three to six months, some specific operations up to a year. Many insurers cover accidents from day one. ### Does the pre purchase vetting matter? Yes. Anything found there counts as known and is usually excluded. Tell us what the report says and we look for a policy that can work with it. ### Up to what age can I insure my horse? Many insurers have a maximum entry age, a few have none. Premiums rise with age, under some policies every year from a certain birthday. ### Are competition horses covered? Leisure and competition horses usually are; many policies exclude active racehorses, trotters and polo ponies. Declare the horse's use correctly or you risk your cover. ### What about horse liability insurance? That is a separate policy. Liability pays for damage your horse causes to others, surgery insurance pays for treating your own horse. Most owners need both. ### Can I choose the clinic? Free choice of vet and clinic is standard for horse policies in Germany. You submit the bill; some insurers settle directly with the clinic. ### Why use a broker? Because horse policies differ widely on annual limit, aftercare, emergency rate and competition clauses. We compare them on your behalf, and the insurer pays our commission. ## Legal basis and sources - [Insurance Contract Act (VVG, German)](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/vvg_2008/) - [BaFin company database (licensed insurers)](https://portal.mvp.bafin.de/database/InstInfo/) ## Request quotes We obtain quotes and come back with a comparison, free of charge. You can write in English. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-horse-surgery-insurance.php#anfrage --- Your broker: Norman Nammert, trading as NAMMERT. Insurance broker licensed under section 34d(1) of the German Trade Regulation Act. Broker register no. D-C08Q-TOSD4-37. NAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH is a separate company. It does not arrange your contract. NAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH, Karl-Marx-Straße 4, 15711 Königs Wusterhausen, +49 3375 29 12 77, info@nammert.com. Wikidata: Q141141479.