Insurance
Insurance Basics
Crop & Livestock Insurance
Property & Auto Insurance
Farm Auto Insurance Options
Article + Download
30 min read
Farm Property Insurance Strategies
Article + Download
30 min read
Risk Management
Managing Farm Risks with Insurance
Article + Download
60 min read
Manage Farm Legal Risks: An Insurance Tutorial
Video
66 minutes
Insurance & Liability Questions:
What types of insurance do I need on my farm or ranch?
Insurance is something we talk about early and often here at Farm Commons, because when it comes to legal resiliency, insurance is a must have. It’s not that we love insurance, or find it all that interesting, it’s just that in our modern world, not having it can lead to financial gloom and doom. But, it’s complex. From health insurance to commercial liability insurance, there are so many different kinds that it can cause such overwhelm for farmers who would rather have their hands in the dirt than on their insurance policy. But, hang tight. We have guides…
How do I find a good insurance agent?
How many times have we at Farm Commons heard this question? With there being less and less farmers out there and more and more city dwellers, it becomes harder and harder to find an insurance agent who understands the insurance needs of farmers. This is especially true for farmers who are operating unique and innovative ventures such as agritourism and value-added products. There’s not always an insurance product that can adequately protect these operations.
We do have some hope for you though! Check out our free resource, Farm Insurance Basics, which provides some helpful tips on finding good insurance agents. Also, turn to page 23 of Managing Farm Risks With Insurance to read our section on Tips for Choosing an Insurance Agent.
How do I insure for damage to farm and ranch property?
You’ve heard the horror stories. High winds rip high tunnels to shreds. Freak snowstorm knocks down pole barn. Wildfire burns all of the structures on the farm including the beautiful, historic barn and all of its contents. The damage to the farm structures and equipment you’ve toiled to build and repair is itself is a tragedy hard to stomach. But then, when you find out there was no insurance to cover the damage, this is a second awful blow.
How do you make sure you’re not left out in the cold? You get educated and get the right insurance. We can help. Our free resource, Farm Property Insurance Basics, provides essential knowledge on property insurance for your farm or ranch. In another free resource, Podcast Episode Seven: Got Coverage?, you can hear directly from an experienced farmer about property damage coverage and how critical it is to the farm business.
How do I insure for food safety liability?
Great question, and we’re glad you asked. Check out our free resource, Managing Food Safety Liability Risk Basics, which answers the question, “What can I be doing now to protect myself if a foodborne illness is ever linked to my enterprise?” Of course, insurance is one of the primary strategies, and this tip sheet discusses the type of insurance that is needed, and also what to do in case you are having trouble getting insurance. Listen to our free 18min. Podcast Episode Eight: Let’s Have Lunch!, which briefly discusses food safety insurance.
For more comprehensive information about the type of insurance you need to cover food safety, review the section “Look into Insurance Options” in our comprehensive Farmers’ Guide to Food Safety Liability.
How do I insure for injury to farm and ranch workers?
The risk of injury to farm and ranch workers is real. Make sure you have a grip on your coverage.
First of all, you may be required to carry workers’ compensation which is the primary way we address the risk of injury to farm workers. See our pathway Do I need workers’ compensation? for more on that. If workers’ compensation is not required for your farm, you’ll still want to insure for injuries to farm workers.
Do I need workers compensation?
Resources to help you understand your legal obligations and options when it comes to worker injuries.
When it comes to injuries to farm employees, you might be required to carry workers’ compensation. And, even if you’re not, you certainly want to make sure you have coverage for those injuries through a liability policy.
Are you new to the idea of workers’ compensation? Our free resource, Farm Insurance Basics, provides a helpful basic overview on workers compensation insurance, which you need to cover farm workers’ injuries. Also, hear directly from a labor law attorney on workers’ compensation insurance and what it’s all about and how it functions in a practical setting in our free 16min. Podcast Episode Seven: Got Coverage?
I'm worried about auto accidents while working. What do I need to know?
Auto accidents come with significant expenses. Commercial auto insurance can protect you, your vehicles, and your business.
Vehicles are often essential to a farm or ranch business. Vans or trucks might be used to collect the harvest from the field, make CSA and wholesale deliveries, or transport equipment. After an auto accident, your farm vehicle may need seriously expensive repairs– or you may be on the hook to pay for someone else’s repairs. A commercial auto insurance policy is an effective way to make sure those expenses are covered. In our Farm Auto Insurance Optionsguide (15min), you’ll find key distinctions between different types of commercial auto insurance policies and scenarios to help you figure out what type of commercial auto insurance is right for you (if any).
Am I liable if folks are injured while on my farm?
This question looms over the owners of farm or ranch businesses of all shapes and sizes. You can get answers if you know the right questions to ask.
In a word: Maybe. While farmers have a deep understanding of farm safety, the people they invite on to the farm – for events, CSA pickups, shopping in the farm store etc. – may not have the same familiarity. They are staring off into the fields of kale and corn under the setting sun and may not take the time to watch their step. With more and more farmers venturing into on-farm events and the like, it becomes more and more important to make sure that you are adequately prepared in the event that guests and customers on your farm are injured.
What crop and livestock insurance is available for small farm operations?
Your farm animals and crops are precious commodities. So, how can you protect yourself from financial loss if Mother Nature unleashes her fury?
Your farm animals and crops are precious commodities – they are what you toil at feeding and watering and sowing and trimming and weeding, day after day until you can one day, if all goes well, harvest and sell them. That is, after all, the whole point of farming, right? But what would happen if Mother Nature unleashed her fury – in the form of floods, hail, disease, derechos, wildfire, and more? It would be sad enough to potentially lose what’s so precious to you, but then to not be able to recoup financially from these losses is another punch to the gut.
How can I manage climate change risks on my farm, from a legal perspective?
As a farmer or rancher, you have legal tools to mitigate climate change risks and increase peace of mind.
With climate change comes increasing unpredictability. Storm damage, severe flooding, fire, hurricanes, wind and hail storms are increasing in frequency in many areas around the country and world.
What can farmers and ranchers do in the face of a changing climate? From a legal perspective, insurance is a key risk management strategy for protecting essential property, products, equipment, and growing crops and livestock on your farm or ranch. Read our free Farm Property Insurance Basics guide to learn how property coverage can increase your resilience in the case of a devastating weather event. If you’re interested in protecting your crops and livestock, be sure to check out our free Crop and Livestock Insurance Basics guide. If you’d like tailored guidance in preparation for meeting with an insurance agent, read Farm Property Insurance Strategies and Crop and Livestock Insurance Options for Diversified Operations.
