Farm Insurance: Types, Coverage, And Exclusions

​Farm Insurance is an important type of insurance that helps farmers stay protected against catastrophic natural disasters, such as hail and wildfires. This article will break down the ins and outs of Farm Insurance coverage so you can be sure you're covered.

What is Farm Insurance? 
Farm insurance is a type of insurance that provides coverage for agricultural losses, such as crops, livestock, and equipment. Coverage can vary depending on the policy but typically includes losses due to natural disasters, theft, or fire. Farm insurance can also include coverage for animal diseases and pests.

What Does Farm Insurance Cover?
When choosing a farm insurance policy, it's important to consider your needs. You may want coverage for buildings and equipment, or you might want insurance for just crops and livestock. 

Farm insurance is often bundled with ranch insurance. It usually covers the following: 

Farm machinery and equipment. 
This insurance protects the insured against monetary loss or damage to their machinery and equipment brought on by insured dangers. When you use trucks for farming, you might need to include commercial auto insurance in your package. The topic of movable irrigation equipment, buildings, and fences is explored.

Livestock. 
Most farm insurance policies will offer comprehensive livestock coverage in the case of death or injury due to a covered peril. Some policies cover the death of animals by accidental shooting or if they are struck by a train or vehicle. In addition, some providers cover attacks on livestock by dogs and wild animals. It also includes coverage for floods and loss of livestock due to earthquakes. 

Farm Products. 
Products like feeds, grain, seeds, and similar items are farm products covered by farm insurance. However, they are only covered while stored. If they are already growing on the property, the seed that has been planted will no longer be covered. 

Liability Coverage. 
Just like standard home insurance, farm insurance includes liability protection. It covers bodily injury, medical expenses, and property damage. Liability coverage in farm insurance may also cover attorney's fees.   

What Is Not Covered by Farm Insurance? 
You may think that farm insurance will include everything on and around your farm, but it is not the case. Here are the things not typically covered by farm insurance: 

Fencing. 
Fencing is not automatically included in farm insurance. Standard farm insurance policies rarely cover it. Different types of fencing can impact the amount of coverage. A wired fence will have different coverage from a barbed wire fence. 

Some equipment. 
You need to be aware of some exceptions for the farm equipment, and not all of them will be covered. For instance, equipment that is not well-maintained will not be covered as well as technical malfunctions. 

Fires.
While farms are generally insured against fires, you still need to make sure that your home and other buildings are covered in case of fire. Some insurers will require paved or solid gravel roads leading to buildings covered by the policy. 

Employees. 
Farm insurance that includes liability and worker's compensation is necessary if you have staff working there.

Conclusion 
You will protect your farm just like you would your car and property. Just like any other insurance, it is best only to buy as much coverage as you need. Farm insurance will protect your family during emergencies at an affordable price. 

At Insurance Agency Network, we do our best to ensure that our clients are well-protected with affordable and comprehensive policies. We will go the extra mile to help you with your needs. To learn more about how we can help you, please get in touch with our agency at (425) 448-9190 or Click Here to request a free quote. Topics and coverage discussed in this article are not guaranteed, consult with your agents to determine what your policy does and does not cover. We are more than happy to help!