Many novice horseshoers will start their careers without paying much attention to protecting themselves with insurance — and that’s a big mistake. Insurance is not a luxury for farriers — it’s a necessity.

Building Your Insurance Plan

As a hoof-care professional you need to build insurance into your business plan and the cost of insurance into the prices you charge.

While proper coverage is important, the costs can be daunting to someone just starting a hoof-care business. But the consensus of successful veteran farriers is that at the very least, you must have some sort of health coverage and proper coverage on your vehicle. Liability insurance should come next, followed by disability or income insurance.

Life insurance is also a must if you have any dependents.

The best way to get started is to sit down with a knowledgeable insurance agent and hash out what you need. If you have little or no experience with 

insurance, talk to family members, friends and other farriers you know about whom they work with.

It may be a plus if an agent has already worked with other farriers. You may also find that agencies that have a history of working with farms and ranches are more familiar with what you do for a living. Either way, be aware that it is important to have a forthright discussion with agents, so they can best understand your protection needs.

You should also plan on sitting down every year with your agent and reviewing your circumstances…