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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Insurance for the Trailers

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  • From: "Kathryn Kerby" <kakerby AT aol.com>
  • To: "'michelle rome'" <michelleann7 AT yahoo.com>, "'Market Farming'" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Insurance for the Trailers
  • Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2014 12:19:30 -0700

It’s not clear from your email whether your existing coverage is a) auto vs property, and b) business vs personal.  For instance, is the AAA Premium policy a personal vehicle insurance policy?  Or a farm business policy?  That “parent” designation will make all the difference in the world.

 

When we first moved here, we had standard residential insurance on our house, and standard personal coverage on our vehicles.  When a tree came down and hit the house and smashed some farm equipment in 2010, the house damage was covered, some of the equipment (which the agent was generously calling “garden” equipment) was covered, but the rest was not.  When the insurance adjustor was out after the house repairs were done, and saw that we were in fact a working farm, State Farm dropped us like a hot potato.  Many, many miles and phone calls and companies later, we were able to line up commercial farm coverage for the house, the property, the outbuildings and all our “stuff”.  HOWEVER, that policy does not yet cover either of our vehicles.

 

We have been deliberating if/when to shift our vehicle insurance over to becoming part of our commercial farm coverage.  Our commercial farm agent said whenever we’re ready, we can do so.  Rates won’t even change that much.  My husband’s truck is used only occasionally for farm work, mine is used approximately ½ time for farm work.  The agent said the general rule of thumb is that whenever a vehicle is used primarily for farm work, OR the occasional usage involves high-dollar materials and/or high-risk operations, then it should be switched.  For instance, if our truck is moving hay for our own consumption, that’s a low-value, low-risk operation. If, however, we’re delivering hay to a customer, that’s a much higher value and much higher risk.  With our existing coverage, the former would be covered by standard vehicle insurance.  The latter would not.  Not because of the contents of the truck, but because of the intent (personal use vs delivery to a customer for pay).  

 

To get the coverage you’re talking about, you’ll probably need to move away from AAA unless they offer commercial, and preferably agricultural, vehicle coverage.  Not sure what’s available out in SC, but if you ask your fellow producers within your own state for who covers their farms, you’ll start to hear the same names over and over again.  That’s where I’d start your conversation, because it varies so much by state.  Also, don’t be surprised if a company that advertises itself as offering farm coverage, balks at the idea that you actually sell something edible to the public.  That seems to separate the boys from the men in the realm of insurance companies.  If the insurance agent you’re talking to, tells you that you have to change your operation to suit their coverage, drop it and keep looking.  I wasted 6 months going around and around with a company that supposedly had agricultural insurance, but they didn’t want to cover any of our operations.  

 

Hope you find something that works for you; it can be a long, tedious process but I guarantee you’ll sleep better at night after you’ve finally gone through those annoying hoops.

Kathryn Kerby

Frogchorusfarm.com

Snohomish, WA


From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of michelle rome
Sent: Monday, April 07, 2014 5:44 PM
To: Market Farming
Subject: [Market-farming] Insurance for the Trailers

 

To all on the list - 

Have you had any experiences hauling a trailer with material or equipment and broken down?

I have several times.

 

I have had AAA Premium. But they don't cover me. Just got off the phone with them (again). So my questions were not answered...again.

 

So what do you do?

 

I need to be able to move a dump trailer with compost form point a to point b. Maybe 150 to 200 miles (mostly 150 miles). I need to go pick up farm equipment in another state maybe 500 or 600 miles away. Yes I habve the dually and the trailer. But what if i break down with a new or slightly used tractor?

 

What would you do? Would you pay to move things? What companies out there would cover me?

 

I am curious to know what the list knows. 

 

Michelle Hromyak

Romy Farms

SC E & W




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