Demand for working dog insurance grows

They can cost tens of thousands of dollars and are often seen as a farmer’s best investment. But want to insure one? Good luck.

With some price tags in excess of $35,000, demand is growing among farmers to insure one of their best assets, their working dogs.

But despite the demand for comprehensive insurance for a farm working dog, the very few policies on the market are either prohibitively expensive or too limited in their coverage.

Wentworth livestock grazier Angus Whyte has been looking for a policy for his son who has recently purchased a working dog to assist him in his first year as a jackaroo. He wanted a policy that would cover against death and veterinary bills.

“He’s paid a bit of money and bought a good dog. He’s very reliant on it. If he had a huge vet bill, I’m not sure he could afford it. And if something goes wrong with a dog you can’t wait, you have to go straight to the vet,” Mr Whyte said.

But considerable searching led him to the conclusion that the best insurance for his son’s dog was saving for a rainy day.

“There’s that physical insurance, that they’re well trained, in kennels, secured on the back of a ute. He might just be better off putting aside money each week to pay for vet bills.

“I haven’t found a company that offers what we’re looking at for a reasonable price,” he said.

The Weekly Times was unable to find a stand alone working dog insurance policy. There are a number of whole-of-farm insurance policies however that offer optional insurance for working dogs as part of the package.

A Nutrien Ag Solutions spokeswoman said a specific working dog policy was in the pipeline.

The company currently offers working dog cover as an optional extra as part of its farm pack policy, with a price “dependent on the sum insured value and breed”.

The policy covers against loss or damage caused by theft when prompt evidence is provided, death – including by euthanasia – injury and sickness as well as “reasonable costs” of veterinary treatment to preserve the life of a working dog following an accident up to $1000.

Hoover sold for $35,200 at the Casterton Working Dog auction and tragically died.

Casterton Kelpie Association president Karen Stephens said the significant investment farmers were making in their working dogs would prompt many to consider insuring them.

A world record was last year set for the highest price paid for a working dog at the Casterton Working Dog Auction.

Hoover the kelpie was bought for $35,200 by a north east Victorian cattle and sheep farmer.

Hoover tragically died earlier this year when he got caught in a fence while working.

“I would imagine that more and more dog owners are looking to insure their dog because firstly, they’re very expensive, and secondly they do an amazing job, they are a significant investment,” Ms Stephens said.