Norwest NSW
Animal Mortality Insurance
Horses, cattle, sheep, goats, alpacas, poultry and other animals can be a big part of what your property or business is worth. When one dies from an accident, illness, fire or theft, the financial hit is real — and a standard home, farm or pet shop policy often doesn't respond the way you expect.
Animal mortality insurance is the cover that sits over those animals. It can pay an agreed or market value when an animal dies from an insured cause, usually as a dedicated policy or as an extension, with limits per animal and conditions around age, health and use.
Hobby farm owners often review animal cover with their hobby farm insurance package.
Who it suits
Cover for animals that matter financially
Horse owners and equestrian operators
Livestock and breeding businesses
Pet shops and animal retailers
What it can cover
- Death from accident, illness, fire or theft, subject to the policy wording.
- Agreed value or market value per animal, depending how the policy is set up.
- Specified high-value animals listed on the schedule, such as horses or breeding stock.
- Transit risk in some policies, when animals are being moved — check whether this is included or needs a separate extension.
- Veterinary fees as an optional extra on some policies, with limits and conditions.
What to check
- Whether cover is automatic or must be added. On many farm and hobby farm policies, animal mortality is an extension, not a default.
- Age, breed and health. Insurers often set age limits and may ask for veterinary history on higher-value animals.
- How animals are used. Riding, breeding, racing, showing and commercial farming can all change underwriting.
- Limits per animal and in total. Make sure the sum insured reflects replacement cost, not what you paid years ago.
- Waiting periods and exclusions for disease, elective procedures and animals already unwell.
- Whether float or trailer cover is separate. Damage to a horse float is not the same as cover for the horse. See our Road Registration and Float page.
Case study
An example
A couple on a Hills District hobby farm keep two horses. After a storm, a fence fails and one horse is hit on the road and dies. Public liability can respond to a driver's injury claim, and animal mortality cover — if it was included and the animal was declared correctly — can respond to the horse's agreed or market value. Without that extension, the loss of the animal sits with the owners.
Illustrative example only. Cover depends on your policy wording.
Contact us
To put a quote together, we'll ask about:
We're based at Suite 2.02, 2-8 Brookhollow Ave, Norwest NSW. Call 02 8660 2305 or email admin@idealbrokers.com.au.
Based in Norwest — talk to insurance brokers in Norwest about animal mortality cover.
Ideal Insurance Brokers, Norwest NSW 2153. Ideal Brokers Pty Ltd (CAR No. 001262504 | ABN 65 623 205 952) is a Corporate Authorised Representative of Metrix Connect Pty Ltd ACN 635 286 136 as the trustee for the Metrix Connect Hybrid Trust ABN 55 742 327 931 | AFSL No. 525491. This page contains general information only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Read the Product Disclosure Statement before buying.
Animal mortality insurance FAQs
Often not automatically. Many policies need an animal or livestock extension. Send us your schedule and we'll check. See our Hobby Farm page for the wider property cover.
Only if they are included and declared correctly. High-value horses are usually listed individually with a value and age.
Some policies do, some are accident-only. We'll tell you plainly what yours says before you buy.
Mortality for stock animals can be arranged for pet retailers, with conditions. Tell us what you hold and how animals are housed.
Float damage and animal mortality are usually separate. See our Road Registration and Float page for the float, and ask us about the horse.
For higher-value animals, often yes. We'll tell you what the insurer needs up front.