Specialty Animals And Birds Insurance

Specialty animals and birds insurance is a type of insurance coverage specifically designed for owners of animals and birds that are considered to be unique or rare. These types of animals and birds may include exotic pets, show animals, and breeding animals. This type of insurance is designed to provide financial protection for the owner in the event of an accident, illness, or death of the animal or bird.

One of the key features of specialty animals and birds insurance is that it is tailored to the specific needs of the animal or bird. For example, if the animal or bird is used for breeding purposes, the insurance policy may include coverage for loss of income due to the loss of the animal or bird. If the animal or bird is used for show purposes, the policy may include coverage for veterinary expenses and replacement costs if the animal or bird is unable to perform due to injury or illness.

Another important aspect of specialty animals and birds insurance is that it provides coverage for a wide range of risks. For example, the policy may include coverage for accidents, such as if the animal or bird is hit by a car or attacked by another animal. It may also include coverage for illnesses, such as if the animal or bird contracts a disease or becomes ill due to poor nutrition. Additionally, the policy may include coverage for death, such as if the animal or bird dies due to natural causes or is euthanized due to an incurable illness.

Moreover, a significant benefit of specialty animals and birds insurance is that it can provide financial protection for the owner in the event of a lawsuit. For example, if the animal or bird causes damage to property or injures someone, the insurance policy may provide coverage for legal expenses and any resulting damages. This can be especially important for owners of exotic pets, as they may be held liable for any damage or injuries caused by the animal.

In conclusion, specialty animals and birds insurance is an essential coverage for the owners of unique or rare animals and birds. It provides financial protection for a wide range of risks, including accidents, illnesses, and death, as well as legal expenses in case of a lawsuit.

Additionally, this type of insurance is tailored to the specific needs of the animal or bird, ensuring that the owner is covered in case of unexpected events. It is important for anyone who owns a specialty animal or bird to have this type of coverage to protect their financial interests.

The farm-to-table interest has encouraged the raising of exotic breeds of animals or birds, such as bison, caribou, deer, llamas, and ostriches. These animals are exposed to a number of catastrophic hazards, such as floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and drought. Coverage can be arranged for both property and liability hazards. These types of animals have much higher values than cattle, sheep, or hogs.

Animal Mortality is life insurance on domestic animals, livestock, and zoological animals. It covers death from any cause that is not excluded as well as voluntary destruction of animals for humane reasons when certified by a veterinarian. See Bloodstock Insurance for coverage on horses, Livestock Mortality Insurance for coverage on other livestock, and Birds (Exotic) Insurance for coverage on birds such as parrots and ostriches.

Animal lovers band together in groups to help animals that may otherwise have to be euthanized. Activities include locating the animal through contacts with municipal and county animal shelters, arranging to transport it from the shelter to the organization, and finding appropriate foster care. Other activities include evaluating temperament, basic training, and health care including treating heartworm, spay and neuter. The organization then matches the animal with an adopter for a fee. The fee is to pay the organization's expenses. The organization also accepts donations. Groups are species specific. Dog rescue organizations are often breed-specific. These organizations are volunteer operations with limited property exposures but with significant general liability, employee dishonesty, and directors and officer's exposures. There is an automobile exposure if the organization owns autos used to transport animals. There are also non-ownership exposures when volunteers transport animals on the organization's behalf.

Animal ride concessions are popular attractions and can be found at permanent amusement parks, zoos, carnivals, shopping centers, and church, civic, and fund-raising bazaars. The primary underwriting concern is injuries to young children that arise when careless attendants are combined with untrained animals.

An animal shelter accepts an animal that is surrendered by its owner or captured by others. It is responsible to care for that animal in a humane manner. Some shelters provide only animal sanctuary while others prepare the animal for eventual adoption. Off-premises foster care exposures exist as do off-premises events that feature the animals in order to encourage donations and/or adoptions. There is a significant volunteer exposure.

Beekeepers have unique coverage needs. There are liability exposures for hives on premises but there are also significant exposures for hives that are located off premise. Some beekeepers are contract-pollinators that will place hives based on the pollination needs of a crop. Hives must be transported which can be a significant transportation exposure if carriers are used. When beekeepers transport their own hives there is exposure of swarming bees if an accident occurs. Larger beekeepers need umbrella and workers compensation coverage along with property coverage for the hives, bees and the extracting equipment.

Owners of valuable exotic birds have a theft, life, and health insurance plan available that is similar to animal mortality coverage written on livestock, zoological animals, and domestic pets. Coverage applies if the bird is stolen or dies. Coverage for veterinarians' fees may be available. This coverage insures parrots, macaws, and even ostriches.

Bloodstock insurance is animal mortality coverage for horses. It is usually written on valuable racing horses, thoroughbreds, standardbreds, quarter horses, or prized show horses such as Arabians, Palominos, and Tennessee Walkers. It is available for both stallions and brood mares. Rates vary based on factors such as the horse's age, use, value, sex, and the coverage provided. All insurers require a veterinarian's certification that the animal is healthy and free of illness or disability.

Certain breeds of dogs are categorized as dangerous and are subject to stringent state or local regulations. Many standard homeowners markets exclude or restrict coverage for these breeds. Because certain regulations now require liability insurance coverage for these breeds, the owners are being forced to either relinquish their pets or not comply with the regulations. This coverage provides an alternative.

Kenneling operations offer more services than just short-term care of dogs, cats, and exotic animals that belong to others. Many provide grooming and stud services and some may also be breeders. Expanded services such as all-day playtime, remote control cameras for owners to observe their pets, and obedience training can increase the loss potential.

Horse owners ride for pleasure, show, or competition. Personal lines homeowners coverage provides some coverage but often not enough for serious riders. Equestrian risks liability policies are available to bridge the gap in coverage. Workers compensation coverage may also be needed to cover persons employed part-time, temporarily, or on a limited-help basis to assist in boarding, training stables, racing, or other equestrian-related activities.

Horse-drawn carriage operators conduct rides through downtown hotel and theater districts as they cater to tourists and business convention attendees. Liability coverage is also available for carriages and sleds that are used in commercial livery businesses for touring or as a part of a special event such as weddings, after proms, or convention tours. Underwriters are concerned about where carriages operate, the extent of lighting when operations are performed at night, the routes used to get the horses from their stables to the operating area and the experience of the drivers.

These coverages are for owners of stables or farms where horses are boarded for others. The horses may be available for only their owners to ride or may be rented to others to ride. Some stables provide stud and breeding services. Coverage provided for these operations includes care, custody, and control coverage on the breeder's behalf and other coverages to protect its liability with respect to the horses being bred.

Farms that specialize in raising show or race horses have significant livestock and liability exposures. In addition, horse farms that provide boarding and breeding activities or the ones that offer training and instruction have unique liability and property exposures. Property coverage applies to barns, stables, tack, other equipment, and farm machinery. Commercial general liability insurance covers various exposures connected with horses.

This coverage is usually written as an endorsement to a livestock mortality policy. It covers veterinarian fees for surgery and major illnesses/diseases as defined for scheduled animals. Limits are usually on an aggregate per insured animal basis, subject to a deductible. Animals used for racing, those less than 30 days old, and those over 15 years of age may be excluded. A licensed veterinarian must perform the surgery and provide the medical treatment.

It may be difficult to place coverage on truckers that transport livestock from farms to feedlots or the marketplace. Special precautions are necessary to assure that the animals have enough room and ventilation to survive long trips. Additional care is needed with respect to loading and unloading.

This is life insurance coverage on livestock that consists primarily of cattle, hogs, and goats. It indemnifies the insured for loss due to the animal's death from natural causes, fire, lightning, accident, acts of God, acts of men other than the owner or employees, and necessary destruction of animals for humane purposes. Different coverage approaches apply to horses and poultry.

This special livestock insurance coverage form insures a livestock auction market's owner for loss or damage to livestock consigned to the market. Coverage begins at the shipping point and ends when the livestock is unloaded. Some forms also cover animals to be auctioned from the time they enter the auction market's premises until they are sold. A few coverage forms go so far as to cover sold livestock until they are delivered to their purchaser's premises or final destination.

This is a named peril livestock insurance coverage form for commercial feedlots. It is usually written on a monthly reporting basis. Coverage begins when the livestock reaches the feedlot.

Pet accident and health insurance programs cover most veterinary medical treatment and/or hospitalization for illness or injury to pets. The most common pets are cats and dogs but other family pets can also be covered. Age limitations may apply and some treatments and illnesses are excluded. Payments are limited to a maximum per year, based on the coverage purchased. Coverage is usually subject to coinsurance and deductibles.

Pet grooming liability insurance is similar to the malpractice coverage provided to beauticians and barbers for human hairdressing treatments. However, it applies to owners and operators of pet grooming businesses and to businesses that groom, clip nails or hair, or dock tails of cats and dogs. Many companies that offer this coverage write it on a package basis, including malpractice or professional liability for injury that results from professional grooming, clipping, trimming, shampooing, nail clipping, and other services, and also include commercial general liability coverage. This package also covers injuries to either customers or their pets that arise from premises hazards not related to professional services.

Much like livestock or animal mortality insurance, pet mortality insurance covers loss of the pet by death from any cause, whether by accident or otherwise. The same carriers that provide pet accident and health insurance may offer this coverage.

This coverage protects individual poultry raisers, feed mills, and financial institutions for their investment in large flocks of poultry raised as broilers, breeders, or egg layers. Coverage is usually written on an "all risks" basis using coverage forms and policies designed for the poultry industry. Coverage usually includes death caused by climatic conditions, such as temperature and humidity, on the grower's premises or in transit.

There are many prospects for this specialty coverage in addition to riding academies. Examples are resort hotels and motels, equestrian camps, riding stables and clubs, horse shows, and fairs. This coverage is a part of commercial general liability insurance that is often excluded when the exposure is considered significant. This coverage is tailored to the specific needs of the entity that purchases it. This means that premiums increase as exposures, such as participant liability, products, premises, and others are added.

This coverage protects veterinarians from claims for damages that result from alleged malpractice, errors or omissions in the rendering or failing to render professional veterinary services. Underwriting and pricing is based on the services provided and the types of animals involved. Coverage applies to employed veterinarians, partners, and individual veterinarians.

Zoos can be very large and diverse or very small and specialized. They may be open to the general public or limited to only researchers. The consistency is that wild animals are kept in a controlled environment in which they are cared for by human handlers. The entities may be governmental, for profit or not-for-profit entities. Risks include walk-through and drive-through zoos, wildlife refuges, parks, and aquariums. Coverages available include commercial general liability, property, commercial automobile, business income, inland marine, workers compensation, crime, food-borne illness, excess/umbrella liability, and professional liability. Animal mortality coverage may be available on a stand-alone basis.

Following are some examples of Specialty Animals And Birds Insurance claims and the corresponding insurance coverages that can help pay for them:

1. Exotic Bird Accident: Imagine a situation where an exotic bird, such as a parrot, is injured during a public event. The injury may have been caused by an accident like the collapse of a temporary perch. The bird owner would file a claim under their Specialty Animals and Birds Insurance, which will cover the veterinary costs for the bird's injury and potentially any liability claims if the accident was caused by the negligence of the owner. For instance, if a guest was injured due to the falling perch, the insurance would cover the legal fees and any compensation awarded in a lawsuit.

2. Endangered Species Death: A zoo might have an endangered species like a snow leopard. If the leopard dies due to a sudden illness not previously detected, the zoo can file a claim under their Specialty Animals and Birds Insurance. The insurance would cover the costs associated with the death, including any necessary necropsy, replacement of the animal, and potential lawsuits if the zoo is accused of negligence in the animal's care.

3. Performance Animal Injury: Consider a case where a horse, used in equestrian competitions, is injured during a practice session. The horse owner can file a claim with their Specialty Animals and Birds Insurance. The insurance would cover the medical expenses incurred due to the injury, as well as potential legal costs if a lawsuit is filed against the owner, alleging that the training conditions were unsafe for the horse.

4. Pet Shop Liability: If a child is bitten by a macaw in a pet shop and the parents decide to sue the shop for damages, the pet shop could file a claim with their Specialty Animals and Birds Insurance. The insurance would cover the cost of the lawsuit, including legal fees and any damages awarded, as well as the cost of veterinary treatment if the macaw was injured during the incident.

5. Animal Breeder's Liability: Suppose a dog breeder sells a rare breed puppy that becomes seriously ill due to a genetic disorder. If the new owners sue the breeder for selling them a sick pet, the breeder could file a claim with their Specialty Animals and Birds Insurance. The insurance would cover the costs of the lawsuit and any potential payout to the pet owners, as well as the costs associated with any medical treatment needed for the puppy.