Farm insurance

Farm insurance can combine multiple types of cover including home and contents, farm property, liability and farm vehicles.

It protects your livelihood and assets from severe weather events, fires, livestock injury or death, theft and more.

What is farm insurance?

Farm insurance is a type of insurance designed specifically for farmers. It combines elements of personal and commercial insurance to protect both your personal assets (like your home and its contents) and your business assets (such as machinery, crops and livestock).

It helps protect against a range of risks, from natural disasters and equipment breakdown to liability issues, helping ensure that your farm can recover from unexpected events.

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What does farm insurance cover?

Farm insurance packages can be tailored to suit the specific needs of your farm, so what's included can vary depending on your insurer and the options you choose. However, some common cover types include:

Who needs farm insurance?

Whether you run a large-scale agricultural business or a hobby farm, farm insurance is suitable for anyone who owns or operates a rural property. It can cover a wide range of properties, including:

• Cattle, sheep or pig farms
• Dairy farms
• Poultry farms
• Grain, fruit or vegetable growers
• Vineyards and orchards
• Lifestyle blocks and hobby farms
• Equine and horse breeding facilities

Ready to protect your farm?

Frequently asked questions

• What factors affect the cost of farm insurance?

  The cost of your farm insurance depends on several factors. These include the size and location of your farm, the type of farming operation you run such as cropping or livestock, the value of assets you need to insure including buildings machinery livestock and crops, your claims history, your chosen excess and the overall level of cover you select.

• What does farm insurance typically not cover?

  Farm insurance policies have exclusions. Generally they do not cover wear and tear mechanical breakdown pest or insect damage pre-existing damage intentional damage or losses arising from illegal activities. It is important to review your PDS to understand all specific exclusions that apply to your policy.

• How do I make a claim on my farm insurance?

  To make a claim, contact your insurer as soon as possible after an incident occurs. You will need to provide details of what happened and gather any relevant evidence such as photos videos police reports or witness statements. Your insurer will guide you through the next steps in the claims process.

• What information do I need to provide to get a farm insurance quote?

  When seeking a farm insurance quote you will typically need to provide details about your farm. This includes your farm's address and size the type of farming activity you undertake details of your buildings machinery and equipment the number and type of livestock you have your crop types and acreage any previous insurance or claims history and security measures you have in place.

• Does farm insurance cover damage from natural disasters like floods or bushfires?

  Many farm insurance policies offer cover for natural disasters but the extent of this cover can vary. Floods and bushfires may be included as standard or as an optional extra depending on your policy and insurer. It is essential to check your PDS for specific details on what natural disaster events are covered any waiting periods that may apply and any exclusions for high risk areas.

• Can I get farm insurance if I run another business from my farm?

  Yes, it is possible to get farm insurance even if you operate another business from your property. Many insurers can tailor policies to cover multiple business activities. You should discuss all your business operations with your insurer or broker to ensure you have adequate cover for both your farming and non-farming ventures.

• Is workers' compensation included in a farm insurance pack?

  No, workers' compensation is a separate mandatory insurance that you must take out if you have employees as it is not part of standard public liability cover.

• Are boundary fences covered by standard farm property insurance?

  Yes, boundary and internal fences are usually covered for specific events like fire and impact but you may need to specify the total value of your fencing to ensure adequate protection.

• Can I get farm insurance for a property I do not live on?

  Yes, insurance can be arranged for investment farms, leased land or properties where you are the owner but not the resident farmer.

• Does farm insurance protect livestock while in transit?

  No, you typically need to add a 'Goods in Transit' or specific livestock transit extension to your policy to cover animals being moved to market or between properties.

• Am I covered for chemical drift onto a neighbour's property?

  Yes, coverage for liability arising from chemical overspray or drift is a common feature of the public liability section in most Australian farm insurance packs.

Written by

Gary Ross Hunter

Journalist

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Gary Ross Hunter has over 6 years of expertise writing about insurance, including life, health, home, and car insurance. Having reviewed hundreds of product disclosure statements and published over 800 articles, he loves simplifying complex insurance topics for everyday readers. Gary has contributed to major outlets like Yahoo Finance, The Sydney Morning Herald, and news.com.au, and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English Literature from the University of Glasgow, along with a Tier 2 General Advice certification, ensuring his work adheres to ASIC’s RG146 standards. See full bio

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Gary Ross has written 521 Finder guides across topics including:

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