Brookings Farm and Ranch Insurance
Find the right insurance policy for you.
On Saturdays from May through October, residents of Brookings flock to the local farmer’s market, where dozens of area vendors convene to sell their goods and produce. If you are among the farm or ranch owners in this eastern portion of South Dakota, you can benefit from protecting your investment with a suitable farm and ranch insurance policy.
Local independent insurance agents can help you compare policies and rates from a variety of reliable insurers. That way, you can be sure you are getting the appropriate coverage at a competitive price. Find an insurance agent near you to learn more.
What Is Brookings Farm Insurance?
Farm insurance is a specific type of policy that was created to meet the unique coverage needs of farm and ranch owners. These policies are designed to be fully customizable so you can get all the coverage you need, while you avoid paying for coverage that you do not.
A local independent insurance agent can help you navigate through your various options so you can easily purchase an affordable policy that covers you against all of the potential hazards you may face as a farmer in Brookings.
Farm Insurance Covers Your Brookings Farmhouse
As a farm or ranch owner, chances are good that your family home is located on your farm property. In this case, coverage for your residence is included in your farm insurance policy. Your policy can provide you with contents coverage for the property kept inside your home in the event that it is lost or damaged due to hazards such as fire, theft, or severe weather.
Farm insurance also covers the structure of your home if it is damaged by a number of severe weather events that are likely to strike in Brookings. These include hazards such as hailstorms, gusty winds, heavy snow, and freezing temperatures.
If a covered event renders your home uninhabitable, your policy can pay for your temporary living expenses while repairs are made. Tornado damage is covered as well. The risk of tornadoes in Brookings is higher than the South Dakota average. On June 7, 1993, two large F4 twisters touched down near Brookings, causing several millions of dollars in damage. If a tornado damages your home or other property, you can count on your farm insurance to act as a financial safety net.
Brookings Farm Insurance Covers Your Other Property
Of course, your farm or ranch is much bigger than just your home. Farm insurance is designed to provide you with coverage for a number of other types of property, including:
- Outbuildings: Including structures on your farm or ranch property such as barns, sheds, garages, and storage units
- Equipment and machinery: Including farm equipment such as tractors, cultivators, rotators, plows, balers, harvesters, sprinkler systems, and sprayers
- Other property: Including property such as livestock, feed, and irrigation systems
You can build a farm insurance policy that will provide you with suitable coverage for all of your valuable property.
Brookings Farm Insurance Covers against Liability Risks
Your farm or ranch is more than just your home. It is your livelihood. As with any business, this means that you face liability risks that go beyond those of a typical Brookings homeowner. Farm liability insurance is designed to cover the costs (such as court costs, legal defense fees, and damages) if you are sued for a covered event. Your policy can include the following types of coverage:
- Premises liability coverage: Like a traditional home insurance policy, this can cover damage and injuries sustained by guests, visitors, or customers while they are on your farm property. It does not include coverage for worker injuries.
- Product liability coverage: This provides coverage against third-party illnesses, injuries, or other damage if a product produced or sold on your farm is defective in some way.
- Operations liability coverage: This can provide coverage for third-party injuries or property damage caused by you or your workers while running your farm. Example: if some of your farm machinery knocks down some power lines, or if a hay baler loses its load on a public road.
- Coverage for worker injuries: Because workers' compensation coverage is not required for farm or agricultural workers in South Dakota, this coverage is optional. It may be a good idea, however, because it can protect your farm or ranch from potential liability lawsuits if someone is injured on your property while working for you.
What Else Can Brookings Farm Insurance Cover?
Most farm insurance policies also allow for additional coverage options, including:
- Equipment breakdown coverage: This is designed to cover the cost of repairing or replacing malfunctioning equipment. It can also cover the cost of renting comparable equipment while repairs are made. That way, day-to-day operations on your farm can continue to run smoothly.
- Farm income coverage: Weather can be unpredictable. If a severe weather event like an early frost or a hailstorm damages your farm property or output, this can result in lower-than-expected profits. In this case, farm income coverage can help to make up the difference.
- Debris removal coverage: A tornado or a severe storm can cause trees to topple and outbuildings to collapse. Debris removal coverage is designed to cover the cost of cleanup so you can quickly resume your normal operations.
Talk to an independent insurance agent near you to learn about these and other coverage options that are available to you. Your agent can help you determine which options are a good fit for your Brookings farm or ranch.
Why Talk to an Independent Insurance Agent in Brookings?
When you work with a local independent insurance agent, you can rest assured that you are getting advice and guidance from someone who is familiar with the risks faced by farm and ranch owners in the Brookings area. Your agent can help you find a comprehensive policy at an affordable price.
Contact an insurance agent in or near Brookings to learn more, and you can soon start comparing customized quotes for farm insurance coverage.