Page 26 - AEF-AlbertaBits_Summer-2025

Ask About Insurance
An Ounce
of Prevention
Risk mitigation is part
of good insurance
SOME THINGS ARE JUST better together — like
being proactive and having the right insurance.
You can better care for yourself and your horses by
learning about risk mitigation practices.
“More people rode without helmets than with
them in 1998. That’s certainly not the case today.
It’s gone completely the other way,” says Mike King,
partner and director of equine insurance with Acera
Insurance. A lifelong horseman and leader in the
equine insurance field for more than 30 years, he’s
seen his fair share of tragedies and accidents — many
of which could have been prevented with proper
risk management. Precautions like proper footwear
and waivers for lessons have gone from unheard
of to mandatory for those in the equine space. The
insurance industry’s educational efforts are a huge
part of that shift. King sees education as the most
critical element of his work.
“I’d rather the consumer be educated and be
savvy about being risk averse. It helps keep the
premiums down. It builds up the community,” he says.
Still, he says, every horse owner should also
have insurance.
“I wish there was a magic wand that (made)
everybody who owns a horse an Alberta Equestrian
Federation member, because they’d all find benefit in
it,” he adds.
With the effects of climate change and extreme
weather, risk mitigation has never been more urgent.
“We (at Acera) have a dedicated team that are on
call once fire season begins to manage the crises,”
King says. “That’s not going to change. But how do
we manage the risk? The answer is preparedness.”
Especially during wildfire season, King emphasizes
the importance of paying your premiums on time
and having an evacuation plan for your horses: know
how you’ll get your horses out, make sure they have
identification, and plan for where you will house your
horses if an emergency does occur.
“It’s such a small investment to protect an asset,
whether it’s a horse or a farm, compared to the
implications if it’s lost as a result of factors outside
your control.”
Find out more about Acera’s Named Perils
policy and how to protect your horses at
acera.ca/personal/equicare
With Michael (Mike) A King,
Partner National Practice Leader, Equine
1
Alberta Bits Summer 2025
Sponsored Feature