Zero Deductible Surgical Coverage
This Zero Deductible Surgical Endorsement adds surgical reimbursement to your horse’s mortality policy. It helps pay eligible surgical costs when a covered incident happens and you report it during the coverage period.
What it Covers
- Surgical fees: Reasonable and customary surgical fees for treatment performed by a licensed veterinarian, when surgery is necessitated by a covered incident that occurs and is reported during the coverage period
- Post-op medical fees: Approved medical fees incurred within 30 days after surgery, directly related to surgery and recovery (up to 100% of the covered surgical fees)
- Limit of insurance: $5,000 annual aggregate per horse
- Deductible: None (this endorsement is “zero deductible”)
- When services must occur:
- During the coverage period, or
- Within 30 days after the policy period ends, as long as the horse was insured at the end of the policy period
Reporting Rules
- Immediate notice is required under the base policy’s claim duties
- For this endorsement only, eligible fees may be considered even if incurred up to 90 days before you notify the insurer, as long as the delay was reasonable and doesn’t prejudice the insurer
- This coverage is excess over any Colic Surgery Expense coverage (if carried) and primary to other similar insurance/benefits
- If mortality coverage for the horse expires, is cancelled, or deleted, this surgical coverage automatically ends unless mortality coverage is reinstated/restored
- If a claim is paid under this endorsement, the premium for that horse is fully earned
Key Exclusions
This endorsement does not cover expenses for:
- Surgical procedures not performed under general anesthesia, unless the insurer approves
- Surgery not performed by a licensed veterinarian at an equine surgical clinic
- Any fees incurred before a surgical procedure takes place
- Care associated with routine maintenance of a healthy horse
- Nutraceuticals (even if recommended by a veterinarian)
- Transportation, vet travel/call charges, and emergency fees
- Congenital defects and certain nutritional/developmental conditions
- Elective/voluntary surgeries or procedures (including various corrective, reproductive, and cosmetic procedures)
- Dental procedures unless required due to a visible, external, accidental, violent injury
- Joint treatments/injections and related joint therapies (including corticosteroids/anabolic steroids)
- Complications arising from an excluded procedure/treatment/condition
- Postmortem/necropsy
- Treatment rendered more than 90 days before notifying the insurer
Practical Summary
Think of this as a surgery-focused endorsement with no deductible and a $5,000 per-horse annual cap, plus limited post-op coverage for 30 days after surgery. It can be a strong fit if you want help with qualifying surgical bills—but it’s not designed for routine care, emergency call costs, transport, supplements, joint injections, or elective procedures. As always, reporting quickly matters, and coverage typically ends if the underlying mortality coverage ends.
Important: This summary is provided for convenience. Please refer to the actual policy wording for full details and exclusions.
- American Equine Zero Deductible Surgical Endorsement (EMP2120807)
Standard Mortality Policy and Automatic Coverages