Do you have buildings, equipment, and vehicles that are essential to your farm or ranch operations? Are you wondering whether to insure them and for how much? If so, this course is for you.
This is an approximately 2-hour self-paced course that will help you strategize and plan farm property insurance coverage that addresses the unique goals of your farm or ranch business with regards to buildings, equipment, materials, and vehicles.
Course objectives:
Upon completion of this course, you will:
- Prioritize and assess your own risks regarding property, buildings, equipment, and inventory.
- Understand your basic options for auto insurance coverage related to business vehicles.
- Be ready to contact your insurance agent for a discussion about your property insurance options and quotes for your operation with specific attention to the risks you’re concerned about.
What is included in this course?
This course includes 5 lessons featuring illuminating video presentations, insightful readings, reflective quizzes, and action-planning exercises. At the end of the course, we include tips and further resources for moving forward. Access the course materials at any time using your active Farm Commons member account.
Here’s an overview of the lessons you’ll work through:
Lesson 1: Getting Started
- Get familiar with the value and utility of farm property insurance.
- Homeworkers insurance won’t cover your farm stuff – In this video, you will learn why homeowners’ insurance may not meet your farm business needs.
- What does farm property insurance usually provide? – Read about the coverage generally provided in a farm property insurance policy.
Lesson 2: How Property Insurance Works
- Get familiar with the basic mechanics of property insurance coverage.
- Basic elements of farm property insurance – In this video, you will learn the types of farm property that can typically be covered.
- Listing farm personal property for coverage – In this video, you’ll gain insights into how listing farm property for coverage works.
Lesson 3: Understanding Insured Values
- Get familiar with the basics of property valuation to help you strategize coverage.
- The risk of insuring too low – In this video, you will learn how and why to insure your property for an appropriate amount.
- Blanket Coverage vs. Scheduled Coverage – In this video, you will learn about the differences between blanket and scheduled coverage, as well as how to make the best use of both.
Lesson 4: Auto Insurance for Farm Vehicles
- Get familiar with the differences between personal and business auto insurance.
- Commercial vs. Personal Auto Insurance – In this video, you will learn the different practical applications of commercial versus personal auto insurance for a farm business.
- Learning from Farmer Stories – Hear examples of how farmers with different auto coverage navigated a wreck on the job.
- Identifying the best option for you – An activity that will help you narrow down the best auto coverage option for you.
Lesson 5: Strategizing Your Coverage
- Lessons Learned – Review key legal information that will help you make decisions.
- Create a Priority List – Make a list of farm personal property items you want to prioritize for coverage.
- Dialing in coverage – Identify the kind of insurance coverage you want to pursue.
- Next Steps for Building Resilience
This course is suitable for farmers and ranchers with any business experience. However, those with at least one year of experience who are able to conduct an assessment of their business and work through tangible assignments to improve current risk management systems will benefit most from this course.
Course requirements:
- Active Farm Commons membership
- Broadband internet connection with a minimum speed of 5Mbps (recommended)
- Desktop browser: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Microsoft Edge
- Mobile browser: iOS Safari, Chrome, Samsung Internet
Note: The course platform is not supported on Internet Explorer, Chromium, and Linux web browsers. You will see an error message if attempting to access the course on these browsers.
FREE