Livestock & Animal Mortality Insurance

Raising livestock like cattle, bulls, pigs, goats, etc., for business purposes can be a rewarding venture, but it's not one that comes without its own set of unique risks. If you raise livestock to sell, breed, etc., having the right livestock insurance coverage and animal mortality insurance is crucial. These coverages can protect your investment in livestock against costs related to unexpected events and accidents like fires, theft, and more.

Fortunately, an independent insurance agent in your area can help you get set up with all the livestock insurance and livestock mortality insurance you need. They'll get you matched to the right policy with ease. But first, here's an overview of livestock insurance and animal mortality insurance.

What Is Livestock Insurance?

When determining how to insure cattle, it's critical to consider their risks first. Cattle and other livestock face mortality risks caused by accidents, sickness, and disease. 

There are blanket coverages that apply to most livestock and poultry, as well as specialty coverages for specific groups of farm animals, such as cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, hogs, chickens, and emus. You may sometimes hear livestock insurance referred to as farm animal insurance or cattle risk protection insurance.

The starting point for your operation will likely be farm and ranch insurance or farm operations coverage and a limited animal mortality policy. Normally, these can be combined into a farm package that will protect your facilities, structures, and livestock or poultry in the event of death caused by accident or injury. 

How Does Cattle Insurance Work?

Some insurers may include a more comprehensive livestock mortality policy that includes sickness and disease, or policy options for a specialized type of animal. There are different ways to cover your animals, and three main types of livestock insurance:

• Individual coverage: This covers higher-value animals on an individual basis. The animals are listed on the policy according to an identifying marker or description, such as an ear tag, and covered for a specific dollar amount.
• Blanket coverage: This type of policy allows you to insure all your farm property for a predetermined value. It includes structures, equipment, tools, and livestock.
• Herd coverage: This is the simplest and most prevalent type of insurance for livestock. This coverage allows you to insure a specific number of animals, such as 200 dairy cattle or 500 pigs. 

Your per-head cost will be determined by the coverage you choose. The per-head price for an individual policy is more expensive than the per-head cost of the blanket or herd policy. An independent insurance agent can help you find affordable cattle insurance for farmers.

What Does Livestock Insurance Cover?

Some farm insurance policies may cover certain broad perils but exclude sickness and disease. It's helpful to understand the differences in each type of policy when making your selection. Livestock insurance policies cover a broad range of death causes, including:

• Accidents
• Accidental shooting
• Attacks by wild animals and dogs
• Weather events
• Civil unrest
• Collisions
• Structural collapses 
• Accidents while loading and unloading
• Theft and vandalism

You may be able to cover more causes of livestock death by adding endorsements to your livestock insurance policy. Ask your independent insurance agent to review your specific livestock insurance policy with you to ensure you know exactly which causes of livestock death it covers.

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The Benefits of Livestock Insurance

Having livestock insurance and livestock mortality insurance can help you financially recover if you lose any of your farm's insured animals due to a covered cause. Cattle insurance for ranchers can allow farming operations to continue as normally as possible after an unexpected accident or disease leads to the death of an animal or more than one animal. 

Without this coverage, you might need to pause operations until the animals are replaced and spend a lot of your own money to buy new livestock.

What's Not Covered by Livestock Insurance?

Most types of farm insurance list various exclusions. Certain kinds of livestock mortality are not covered by most policies. These include incidents of livestock death and losses caused by:

• Natural causes
• Old age
• Disease

If you're unsure about what your cattle insurance policy excludes, your independent insurance agent can help you double-check your coverage.

What Does Animal Mortality Insurance Cover?

Animal mortality insurance, or livestock mortality insurance, can fill in coverage gaps left by standard livestock insurance policies. Livestock mortality insurance can reimburse you for costs associated with incidents of livestock deaths caused by disease, accidental shootings, animal attacks, and building collapses. 

This comes as a separate policy from typical livestock insurance, but you may be able to bundle your coverages together in a larger package.

Livestock Insurance vs. Crop Insurance

Livestock insurance and crop insurance are two separate and important components of a farm and ranch insurance policy. While livestock insurance protects your farm's animals, crop insurance can provide you with reimbursement for damage or destruction to your crops due to a number of hazards. To have full coverage for your farm, you'll want to consider both of these policies. 

How Much Does Livestock and Cattle Insurance Cost?

The cost of your livestock and cattle insurance can depend on many different factors, including the following:

• The location of your farm
• The type of livestock you have
• The amount and value of livestock you have
• Your farm's operations and annual revenue
• Your claims history
• The size of your farm

Livestock insurance for small farms is likely to be cheaper than coverage for larger, commercial farms. An independent insurance agent can help you compare livestock insurance quotes and find affordable coverage near you. They can also help you determine livestock insurance requirements for discounts and other savings to help reduce your premiums. 

Where to Get Livestock Insurance

Here are some of our top-recommended livestock insurance companies. An independent insurance agent can help you secure a policy from any of these outstanding carriers.


            

Livestock Insurance Company	Overall Carrier Star Rating
Nationwide	5 Stars
American Family	4.5 Stars
The Hartford	4 Stars

Why Work Together with an Independent Insurance Agent?

Independent insurance agents can help you evaluate your coverage needs to protect your livestock in the most comprehensive and affordable way. They'll help you determine how much livestock insurance and livestock mortality insurance you need and shop and compare policies and quotes from multiple carriers in your area. Ultimately, they'll get you matched to the policy that offers the best blend of coverage and cost. And down the road, your agent will be there to help file claims for you or update your coverage as necessary.