A new study has highlighted a widening gap between the cost of equine colic treatment and the maximum insurance cover available, raising concerns for horse owners facing unexpected veterinary bills.
Researchers from the University of Nottingham and Bell Equine Veterinary Clinic analysed 248 colic cases treated at 18 UK veterinary hospitals last year, alongside policy data from five insurers. The review looked at maximum cover for vets' fees, monthly premiums, ease of obtaining quotes and the readability of insurance documents. Findings were then compared with a similar study from 2018.
The study found that the average cost of colic surgery, adjusted for inflation, had decreased slightly – from £8,134 in 2018 to £7,905 in 2024/25. However, costs for non-surgical treatment and euthanasia increased over the same period, rising from £1,897 to £2,379.
Despite these changes, maximum insurance cover for veterinary fees has not kept pace. Between 2018 and 2025, four of the five insurers studied either left cover limits unchanged or failed to adjust them in line with inflation. Maximum cover remained between £5,000 and £7,500 for most providers, with referral treatment often exceeding those amounts.
At the same time, insurance has become more expensive. Monthly premiums ranged from £42.76 to £97.23 in 2024/25, compared with £34.01 to £59.39 in 2018. Researchers noted that premiums had risen faster than inflation across all five companies, with two providers now charging more than double their 2018 inflation-adjusted rates.
According to a report from media outlet Horse & Hound, the study also found that policy documentation was consistently difficult to understand. All five insurers scored outside the recommended range for readability, potentially limiting horse owners’ ability to make informed decisions about cover.
“Maximum insurance cover had not kept pace with inflation for four of five insurance companies, and costs of referral treatment frequently exceeded this,” the researchers concluded. They added that premiums had risen above inflation across the market, creating affordability pressures for owners.
Tim Mair, of Bell Equine, said the data suggested that, despite wider reports of veterinary fees outpacing inflation, this was not the case for colic referral surgery once inflation was factored in. Sarah Freeman, of the University of Nottingham, said the team is keen to work with both veterinary practices and insurers to make insurance and cost information clearer and more accessible.
The findings reflect broader challenges facing animal insurance markets. Both pet and equine insurers are under pressure to balance affordability with rising treatment costs, while also responding to calls for clearer, more transparent policy wording.
Stagnant cover limits, combined with higher premiums, risk leaving policyholders underinsured at the very moment they need protection. For the equine sector, where referral treatments can run into thousands of pounds, the gap between cover and cost is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
