MortalityFull Mortality Coverage
Pays out the agreed value of your horse if they die from an accident, illness, injury or disease — or if a vet deems humane destruction necessary.
Equine Mortality & Theft
Life insurance for your horse — and the medical coverage most owners actually need.
Bascule's mortality policy pays out the value your horse is insured for if they die or have to be humanely destroyed because of an accident, injury, illness or disease. Theft is included as standard, and so is $5,000 of emergency colic surgery — before you add a single dollar of optional coverage.
What's included
Five things every Bascule mortality policy already does.
Before you add a single endorsement, every policy comes with full mortality coverage, theft, $5,000 of emergency colic surgery, Wobbler Syndrome coverage, and a 90-day loss extension. No deductible. No co-pay. No upcharge.
TheftTheft, included as standard
Included automatically on every policy. If your horse disappears for more than 90 days and a police report is on file, the policy pays out the insured value.
$5,000 includedEmergency Colic Surgery
Every policy. No deductible. No co-pay. Available to horses 31 days to 23 years old. The single most useful endorsement most owners never know they need.
Wobbler endorsementWobbler Syndrome Coverage
Coverage for horses diagnosed with chronic, progressive Wobbler Syndrome at Grade 3 or higher. Excluded only on horses with cervical or neurological flags.
Time buffer90-Day Loss Extension
If a covered loss occurs and is reported during the policy period, coverage extends 90 days past expiry. Buys time, avoids gaps.
Eligibility at a glance
From 24 hours old to age twenty-three.
Designed for both owners (so you know if your horse qualifies) and agents (so you know what paperwork to collect). The current "24 hours through age 20" line on most carriers' sites tells you almost nothing — and Bascule is the only carrier that offers full coverage up to the age of 23. Here's everything that actually matters.
| Horse age | What you need to bind | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 24 hours – 30 days | plus IgG and WBC bloodwork. | No medical, surgical or colic coverage available at this age. |
| 31 days – 16 years | (≤ $250k value), or (above $250k). | Eligible for all medical, surgical and colic add-ons. |
| 17 – 23 years | required for new business over $50k value. | Some endorsements limited. The only carrier offering coverage to age 23. |
| Renewals | within 30 days of inception. | Underwriter may request a Vet Certificate if needed. |
The Major Medical Series
Health insurance for your horse — five tiers, one honest pick.
Major medical covers vet bills for accidents, illness, lameness, surgeries, regenerative therapies and diagnostics. The right tier depends on what the horse is worth and what they do for a living.
The flagship policy. No diagnostic cap. Covers navicular, arthritis, DJD, accident, injury, illness, disease, respiratory surgery and non-elective bone chip surgery. Choose your limit and your deductible; 20% co-pay (waivable for an extra $200 on horses over $100k).
SublimitsShockwave $1,200 per incident. Regenerative therapies $3,000 per incident. Gastric ulcers $2,500 per incident (endoscopic diagnosis required first).
Excluded usesPolo, racing, barrel racing, eventing. Dressage horses under $50k.
| Limit | Deductible | Co-pay | Annual premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| $7,500 | $500 | 20% | $500 |
| $10,000 | $500 | 20% | $550 |
| $12,500 | $500 | 20% | $675 |
| $15,000 | $500 | 20% | $750 |
| $7,500 | $1,000 | 20% | $440 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 | 20% | $460 |
| $12,500 | $1,000 | 20% | $560 |
| $15,000 | $1,000 | 20% | $620 |
The closest thing to full major medical for lower-value horses. Covers accidents, illness, surgery, lameness, regenerative therapies and diagnostics — with some sublimits, but the most flexible coverage available at this value point.
SublimitsShockwave $750 per incident. Regenerative therapies $1,500 per incident. Gastric ulcers $1,500 per incident (scope required). Lameness limited to 6 months from onset.
Excluded usesEventing, polo, racing, barrel racing. Dressage under $50k.
| Limit | Deductible | Co-pay | Annual premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| $7,500 | $1,000 | 20% | $650 |
A simpler, accident-led product. Covers colic (medical or surgical), accidental injuries (fractures, wounds, corneal ulcers), acute illnesses (EPM, West Nile, EHV-1, Lyme) and diagnostics for visible trauma. No co-pay. Available to horses of any value.
ExcludedGastric ulcers, lameness treatment, advanced diagnostics. Polo, racing.
Best forOwners who want acute-trauma coverage without committing to a full major-medical premium.
| Limit | Deductible | Co-pay | Annual premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | $375 | None | $475 Western · $525 Sport |
A no-co-pay alternative to Classic, with hard sublimits on lameness, diagnostics and gastric ulcers ($2,500 each, maximum). Suits owners who want predictable out-of-pocket on smaller claims and don't expect frequent advanced diagnostics.
Limits & deductibles$7,500, $10,000 or $15,000 limit. Deductibles between $425–$600.
Excluded usesPolo, racing, eventing. Dressage horses under $50k. Barrel horses qualify at the $7,500 limit only.
$10,000 or $15,000 limits. $600 deductible. Diagnostic sublimit set at 50% of the policy limit — more generous than Basic.
Diagnostic sublimit50% of policy limit per claim (vs. flat $2,500 on Basic).
Excluded usesPolo, racing, barrel racing, eventing. Dressage horses under $50k.
Surgical add-ons
Three surgical products for sharper limits — or no major medical at all.
Major medical already covers most non-elective surgery. These three sit alongside it for owners who want predictable surgical coverage, first-dollar protection, or specialized coverage for race horses ineligible for Classic.
| Product | Limits | Deductible / co-pay | Annual premium | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard SurgicalNon-elective surgery, layered over mortality. | $5k / $10k / $15k | $250 · 20% | $100 / $150 / $200 | Owners who want predictable surgical coverage layered on top of mortality. |
| Zero Deductible SurgicalFirst-dollar coverage, no co-pay. | $5k / $10k | None · None | $100 / $200 | First-dollar coverage for non-elective surgery — no deductible, no co-pay. |
| Race Horse SurgicalFor horses ineligible for Classic / Standard. | Up to insured value | $250 · 20% | Underwriter quoted | Race horses aged 2–10, ineligible for Classic or Standard. |
Colic coverage
Two layers. Both worth understanding.
Colic is the single most common reason a sport horse goes to surgery. Every Bascule policy includes $5,000 of surgical coverage automatically (or half the value of the horse, whichever is less) — for higher-value horses, you can add $5,000 of medical-or-surgical coverage on top.
Emergency Colic Surgery
Covers $5,000 or surgical cost — or half the value of the horse — whichever is less. No deductible, no co-pay. Covers surgery under general anesthesia and aftercare. Not added on, not optional — every Bascule mortality policy includes it, available to horses 31 days through 23 years old.
Limit
$5,000
Deductible
$0
Co-pay
None
Colic Treatment endorsement
Adds $5,000 of medical-or-surgical colic coverage on top of the included Emergency Colic Surgery. Medically-treated colic capped at $2,000. Available to horses valued $15,000 and up.
Limit
$5,000
Deductible
$250
Co-pay
20%
Other add-ons
Six further endorsements your agent can stack onto the mortality policy.
Liability, tack and equipment, stallion disability, elective surgery and transit coverage — each priced clearly, each available without a written-premium minimum.
| Add-on | What it covers | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Private Horse Owner Liability | Third-party property damage or bodily injury caused by your (non-commercial) horse — including legal defense costs. | $60/horse — $500k / $1M $85/horse — $1M / $2M |
| Equine Extras — Basic | Owned tack & equipment up to $5,000 per item / $10,000 per occurrence; non-owned $500 / $1,500. Burial expenses $500. Emergency evacuation $30/day, up to 15 days. | $150 per policy |
| Equine Extras — Special | Higher limits — owned tack up to $7,500 / $15,000. Burial expenses $1,000. Same evacuation coverage as Basic. | $250 per policy |
| Stallion Permanent Disability | Pays out if a stallion becomes permanently impotent, infertile, or unable to serve mares due to a covered accident, illness or injury. | Underwriter quoted (vet cert required) |
| Elective Surgery | Adds anesthesia-related coverage to elective surgical procedures notified 3+ days in advance. | +0.5% of mortality premium |
| Territorial Extension / Air Transit | Extends mortality (and selected medical / surgical coverage) while your horse is in transit or abroad. Transit costs covered up to 80% of horse value. | Underwriter quoted |
Renewal benefits
Two endorsements that lock in coverage beyond the policy expiry.
Quietly important features that most carriers don't mention at all. If your horse has had a claim during the period, neither one of these should be left out of the conversation at renewal.
Guaranteed Renewal
If your horse is 16 or younger when the policy ends and a claim was filed during the period, Bascule guarantees one more year of mortality coverage at the same limit. Effectively a one-year insurability lock-in.
Eligibility
Age 16-
Extension
+1 year
Limit
Same
12-Month Extension
For horses 17–19 with a claim during the original policy, mortality coverage for that condition extends a full 12 months past expiry — instead of the standard 90 days. Age reductions apply: 33% at 17, 40% at 18, 50% at 19.
Age 17
−33%
Age 18
−40%
Age 19
−50%
Bascule writes mortality on an agreed-value basis — meaning the value listed on the policy declarations is the amount paid in the event of a covered loss. No depreciation, no haggling.
Your agent will help establish a fair value at quote stage, using purchase price, training costs, breeding records, or recent sales.
Yes. Every Bascule mortality policy includes Emergency Colic Surgery up to $5,000 or half the value of the horse, whichever is less — with no deductible and no co-pay. Available to horses 31 days through 23 years old.
The only exclusion is if the horse already has a colic exclusion on the policy. Aftercare is covered up to 50% of surgery cost or 15 days, whichever comes first.
Coverage is subject to all policy terms and conditions, and no coverage is afforded until veterinary documentation has been reviewed.
Classic has a 20% co-pay but no diagnostic cap. Basic has no co-pay but caps lameness, diagnostics and ulcers at $2,500 each.
For most active sport horses, Classic is the better value because diagnostic costs (MRIs, scintigraphy, etc.) add up quickly. Basic suits owners who want predictable out-of-pocket on smaller claims.
Yes — Bascule is the only carrier that offers coverage up to the age of 23. For new business at 17+, we'll need a vet certificate if the value is over $50k.
Some endorsements (like Classic Major Medical) cap at age 23. Renewals after age 17 require a Declaration of Health regardless of value.
Pre-existing conditions, congenital defects, intentional acts, routine and preventive care, elective surgery (unless the Elective Surgery endorsement is added), homeopathic and complementary treatments, joint injections, euthanasia and post-mortem expenses (other than where covered by Equine Extras), and uses excluded by the specific product (e.g. racing on Classic Major Medical).
Your agent has the full exclusion list.
98% of Bascule claims are paid in accordance with the policy terms and conditions. Emergency claims are answered 24/7 on +1-877-474-5006 (press 1). For non-emergencies, our claims team aims to respond within one business day.
Through one of our independent agents. Call +1-877-474-5006 or email underwriting@basculeuw.com and we'll connect you to the agent nearest to you.
Get a quote
Find a Bascule-appointed agent near you, or talk to us directly.
Through one of our independent agents — that's how Bascule quotes mortality. Call us and we'll connect you to the agent nearest your operation. Emergency colic claims answered 24/7 on the main line.