Emergency Colic Surgery Endorsement
The Colic Surgery Expense Endorsement helps protect your budget when one of the most urgent (and expensive) equine emergencies strikes—and the good news is, this endorsement is automatically included for all horses that qualify. If your horse experiences colic (or an intestinal disease/disorder) during the coverage period, this endorsement helps reimburse eligible surgical costs—so you can focus on getting your horse the care it needs, fast.
It pays reasonable and customary colic surgery fees when surgery is performed by a licensed veterinarian at an equine surgical clinic under general anesthesia. It also includes a helpful post-op benefit—eligible medical fees for the 30 days after surgery, directly related to surgery and recovery, up to 100% of the covered surgical fees. Plus, it contributes toward getting your horse to the right place in time with third-party emergency transportation coverage up to $300 per year.
The endorsement includes clear built-in limits, so you know what to expect. The annual aggregate limit per horse is the lesser of $3,000 or 60% of the horse’s mortality limit. To keep things smooth in a claim, you’ll want to notify the insurer promptly and submit the vet report and itemized invoices within the required timeframe. Coverage applies only while the underlying mortality coverage remains in force, and all services must occur during the policy period.
Additional Details
This endorsement adds colic surgery expense coverage to your horse’s mortality policy, helping reimburse eligible surgical and related costs when a covered colic event occurs during the policy period, subject to the endorsement terms, limits, and requirements.
What’s Covered
- Reasonable and customary colic surgery fees performed by a licensed veterinarian at an equine surgical clinic (under general anesthesia), when colic/intestinal disease or disorder first occurs and is reported during the mortality coverage period
- Approved post-operative medical fees incurred within 30 days after surgery, directly related to surgery and recovery (up to 100% of the covered surgical fees)
- Third-party emergency transportation to an equine surgical clinic, up to $300 per year
- Limit of insurance (per horse, per policy year): the lesser of $3,000 or 60% of the horse’s mortality limit (annual aggregate)
- Note: All services must be performed during the policy period
What’s Not Covered
- Horses with colic/intestinal disease or disorder, impaction, or torsion in the 12 months prior to the coverage period, or any horse that has ever had digestive tract resection
- Expenses incurred prior to any surgical procedure
- Nutraceuticals, even if recommended by a veterinarian
- Horses insured under a Named Perils endorsement
Important Reminders
- Notify the insurer promptly when a colic event occurs
- Submit a statement of loss and a veterinarian-signed surgical report within 60 days of surgery
- Provide itemized bills for surgery, post-op care, and transportation within 60 days
- This coverage is primary to other similar insurance/benefits
- If the horse’s mortality coverage ends (expires/cancels/deletes), this colic surgery coverage ends as well unless mortality coverage is reinstated/restored
Practical Summary
This endorsement is best viewed as a targeted add-on that can help with the biggest colic-related expense—surgery and immediate aftercare—but it’s not broad colic “treatment” coverage. To keep it usable, the keys are: call right away, use an equine surgical clinic, keep itemized invoices, and stay mindful of the annual aggregate limit (especially for lower-value horses where the 60% cap could reduce the amount of reimbursement below the $3,000 limit).
Important: This summary is provided for convenience. Please refer to the actual policy wording for full details and exclusions.
- American Equine Colic Surgery Expense Coverage Form (EMP2110516)
Standard Mortality Policy and Automatic Coverages
Optional Coverages Available with Equine Mortality Coverage
Several additional coverages are available to enhance your full mortality policy. Details of each endorsement are available by following one of the links below.