Your farm operation is the source of income for yourself, your family and your employees. With escalating jury awards and an exceeding number of frivolous lawsuits, liability protection is the most important insurance coverage you can have.

Liability insurance covers the cost of your defense, as well as judgments against you up to your policy limit. Other coverages can include product liability, medical payments, personal injury and advertising liability, chemical drift liability, incidental business pursuits, pollution liability, ATV liability, incidental roadside stand and farm market coverage, and custom farming.

Here is some food for thought:

Is your ATV insured on your farm policy?
If you answered 'yes' and operate your ATV off-premises (such as driving down the highway to that field just a quarter-mile down the road), you may have a liability exposure not covered under your current farm policy.

Do you rent land for farming?
Here's a scenario: You rent 160 acres of pivot irrigated land, and you are discing the field. The disc catches the end pivot tower and topples three towers. Is it covered under the landlord's policy? Is it covered under your policy? Did you remember to add that land to your policy? Again, you may have a liability exposure not covered under your current farm policy.

Do you have a child at college and assume their premises liability is covered under your farm policy?
Here's a scenario: Your daughter goes to college and rents an apartment. A guest trips over clothes left on the floor and sustains a severe head injury. Are her guest's injuries covered under your liability policy? Again, another liability concern.

Do you sell produce from your farm at a roadside stand or a local Farmer's Market?
Depending on your policy language, there is a good chance you have no liability protection when engaging in any type of retail sales.

Do you supplement your farm income with a home-based business?
This could include anything from selling crafts or produce to agri-tourism activities including trail rides, petting zoos, corn mazes, or hunting leases. Your current farm policy more than likely excludes liability protection for all of the above mentioned activities.

Do you have part-time or full-time employees as part of your farm operation?
You could be found liable for their actions. Farm Employers Liability is an important endorsement for any farm with employees. You do not automatically have coverage for employees under a standard farm policy.

These are just a few situations that may not have occurred to you, or even to your agent if they didn't know about them. It's important to let your agent know of any activities that may create a need for additional liability coverages. If you would like to discuss your current coverages or have a special situation that needs addressed, feel free to call us at 800-627-2241.