The Midwest is literally littered with large and small farms as well as those who own cattle and other livestock. People who own these properties rely on dependable insurance coverage to help protect their property, their crops, and their livestock. It takes a lot of work to properly maintain large properties like these. That is why it is so important to have the right insurance plan that offers plenty of flexibility to meet your needs throughout the year.
What are Cattle and Farm Liability Coverage?
This insurance is designed to protect the people who live, work, or visit your farm as well as the property of others that are damaged by your farm operations or animals.
There are essentially two types of coverage you may choose:
- Unscheduled livestock coverage. This offers blanket coverage to insure your farm personal property inventory under a single total limit.
- Scheduled livestock coverage. This allows you to pick and choose individual animals you want to insure for specific amounts on an individual basis.
Livestock Liability Insurance
Since you are legally responsible for the cattle and other livestock you own (and any property damage or bodily injuries they may cause), this means you really can’t afford to go without this vital insurance protection.
Personal Liability Coverage
This type of coverage applies to accidental injuries, medical expenses, and property damage for which you are legally responsible. Not only does this insurance help to pay judgments against you or settlements you reach, but it also helps to cover the costs of your legal fees as well.
Livestock Insurance
This is not liability insurance. Instead, it is insurance you take to protect your livestock. Like land, they are property in the eyes of the law. Valuable property in many cases. For insurance purposes, livestock includes the following:
- Cattle
- Pigs
- Sheep
- Goats
- Chickens
- Bison
- Buffalo
- Llamas
- Alpacas
- Deer
- Elk
- Ostriches
- Emus
Livestock insurance is essential insurance protection for all farmers who own livestock as well as those who deal exclusively in certain types of livestock. It offers a wide range of coverage and protection, depending on the specifics of your policy. Many policies offer the following types of coverage.
- Accidents to your livestock. This includes accidents while loading or unloading, electrocution, fire, smoke, and explosions.
- Natural disasters. While earthquake protection might require an add-on policy, natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions and sinkholes that harm your animals are likely to be covered.
- Weather events that affect your livestock. This includes lightning, wind, hail, and flooding.
- Crime and civil unrest. Including vandalism and theft of your animals.
- Collisions while in transit. You’ll need livestock transport insurance for this protection which is vital for protecting your livestock during transport from one location to another.
Additional Types of Coverage for Farms and Livestock
It would be nice if everything you need were wrapped into a single policy. However, different farm and livestock owners are more comfortable with different levels of risk. Other types of insurance protection you might consider include the following.
- Accidental shootings
- Drowning
- Attacks by dogs or wild animals
- Collapse of buildings
- Custom farm work
- Pollution from farm chemicals
- Horse boarding insurance
- Fruit or vegetable picking by the public
Getting the right insurance coverage and amounts of protection is important. Of course, your needs vary according to a wide range of criteria including things like the type of farm property you own, the animals that live on your property, the people who live, work, or visit your farm, and more. Arnold Insurance has been serving the needs of Midwest farmers for nearly 50 years. We can help you get the right amount of protection to meet your needs and answer any coverage questions you may have.
Originally posted 6/22/21 - Updated 3/3/23