Livestock coverage

Livestock coverage insures financial losses from death or injury of farm animals, such as cattle, pigs, and sheep, due to covered perils under a property insurance policy. Policies often cover risks like fire, lightning, windstorms, vandalism, theft, accidental shootings, and vehicular collisions with detailed exclusions listed in the contract.

Coverage limits typically reflect actual cash value or specific scheduled values for each animal; for example, American Family Insurance offers scheduled livestock policies where individual cattle may be insured up to $5,000 per head. Policyholders usually select blanket coverage (all livestock together) or scheduled coverage (individual animals specified), with premiums calculated based on species, number of animals, and desired limits.

Major insurers–such as Nationwide and American Family–report deductibles range from $100 to $1,000 per loss event. Exclusions frequently apply to losses from disease outbreaks or neglect; for instance, avian influenza is commonly excluded by US carriers like Farmers Mutual Hail.

Claims require prompt notification–often within 72 hours–and documented proof of loss using veterinary records or photographs, as identified by https://yourinsurance.info. Livestock coverage generally does not extend to companion animals like dogs or cats unless specifically endorsed in custom farm packages.

Riders are available for specialized protection including transit coverage during shipping and limited mortality insurance for show animals at events like state fairs. Most states regulate livestock insurance under property insurance statutes enforced by local Departments of Insurance; Texas and California publish annual guidelines highlighting allowable coverages and producer obligations.

Premiums have risen about 8% annually since 2021 according to the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies due to higher catastrophic weather losses affecting ranches in Nebraska and Oklahoma. Underwriting reviews commonly require herd inventories twice yearly; companies like AgriSompo North America request visual confirmation for herds over 100 animals at renewal.