Maybe it is your business to transport horses, or perhaps you just need to transport your personal horses to or from a show or stable. Regardless, you know how tense it can be to drive with living cargo. If you go down on the roadside, your situation is more complex—and the potential outcomes far more dire—than it would be for a regular driver who is not transporting livestock.
To ensure that your horses and your vehicle are protected and you can get back on the road quickly and reliably, you need roadside assistance for horse trailers.
In this guide, we will introduce you to our top choice for premier roadside assistance for horse trailers. First, let’s discuss a bit more about why this form of specialized coverage is so important.
Why You Need Insurance for Horse Trailers
When you are pulled over on the side of the road in a downed vehicle, it isn’t just your vehicle that is in jeopardy—it is your horses.
- Your horses could be injured if you got into an accident.
- If you are down on the roadside for a long time, your horses could feel cramped and confined in their trailer. If the climate conditions are harsh (especially hot or cold, windy, or snow, sleet or rain), your horses also might be in danger of heat exhaustion, hypothermia, etc.
- The horses could end up damaging the trailer itself if they become very distressed.
- If you manage to lock yourself out of your vehicle or trailer, you would not be able to get your horses out of the trailer.
These are all examples of situations that can be mitigated by horse trailer insurance with roadside assistance.
Our Recommended Insurance Company for Horse Trailers: US Rider
We have had our best experiences with roadside assistance from US Rider. This is a company that focuses exclusively on equestrian motor plans. Here is what they offer:
- Roadside assistance, including the delivery of fuel, oil or water.
- Horse care, including referrals for veterinarians and farriers. US Rider itself can also put your horse up in an emergency stable if necessary.
- Up to 100 miles of towing.
- Tire service, including for dual-wheeled trailers.
- Jump-start services for your battery, and/or other battery services as needed.
- Lockout and winch-out services, to get you back in your vehicle or get a stuck vehicle back on the road.
Here are the two plans US Rider offers:
Classic Membership: $199 per year
- Nationwide Coverage
- $400 Towing Per Vehicle
- $250 Roadside Serice**
- $100 Lock-Out Service
- $250 Winch-Out Service
- Exclusive Partner Discounts
Premier Membership: $369 per year
- Unlimited Towing*
- Unlimited Lock-Out Service***
- Unlimited Battery Service***
- $400 Roadside Service**
- $400 Winch-Out Service
- Exclusive Partner Discounts
We think it is well worth it to spring for the Premier roadside assistance plan. Even though it costs double what the Classic membership costs, it could easily end up paying for itself after just one incident.
Pros and Cons of US Rider Roadside Assistance
Here is a quick overview of the advantages and drawbacks of this program.
Pros of US Rider Insurance for Horse Trailers
- US Rider specializes in covering horse trailers, unlike other insurance companies that might offer this type of service on the side. They have a strong understanding of what can go wrong on the road and the types of coverage you need to protect your horses and get on your way.
- What makes US Rider an extra good deal is that they offer exclusive discounts to their members for a variety of retailers who sell horse tack, apparel, equestrian gifts, vet supplies, and a range of other goods.
- The coverage area for US Rider is nationwide. They also offer coverage throughout Canada. So, wherever you need to travel, you can rely on your roadside assistance coverage.
- Roadside assistance through this service is usually quite fast—around 45 minutes is the typical wait time. That is much lower than you will find with most roadside assistance services.
- You are covered when hauling horses whether or not the horses you are transporting are your own. This can be essential if, for example, you work as a horse trainer, or do any other job that requires you to regularly transport horses that do not belong to you.
- Along with roadside assistance coverage, US Rider offers a variety of other equestrian policies such as mortality and theft, commercial equine liability, an equi-farm package, private horse owner liability, horse clubs liability, and others.
Cons of US Rider Insurance for Horse Trailers
- Sometimes the tow trucks that US Rider works with can take a long time to get out to where you need them, especially in a remote location or during bad weather. Alas, this is pretty much par the course with every roadside assistance service, especially those that serve the entire US, as US Rider does.
Get US Rider Roadside Assistance Coverage
Your horses deserve the best protection you can get them while you are on the road. Regular roadside assistance coverage from a generic auto insurance company will cover your vehicle, but not your horses. US Rider Roadside assistance coverage ensures that your horses and your vehicle and trailer are all protected.