Tennessee has 603,310 small businesses currently in operation. If you're one of them, you'll need adequate protection for all the what-ifs. Tennessee business insurance can provide coverage for farms and ranches in the state.

A Tennessee independent insurance agent will help find a policy that suits your needs and budget. Since they have a network of carriers, you'll have options on farm policies. Connect with a local expert and start saving in minutes. 

What Does Farm and Ranch Insurance Cover in Tennessee?

Your Tennessee farm or ranch insurance can cover a variety of items. Your policies will help ensure every exposure that could occur on your farm or ranch, from liability to property.

What your farm and ranch insurance generally covers:

• Liability: A general liability policy will provide bodily injury and property damage coverage.
• Commercial property: This policy covers your farm structures, pole barns, and can even insure your equipment.
• Accidents: This can be anything from coverage for electrocution, fire, and smoke to loading and unloading of livestock.
• Natural disasters: Volcanic eruptions and sinkholes are covered. Typically floods and earthquakes are covered under separate policies.
• Weather events: Lightning, wind, hail, tornadoes, and more.
• Crimes and civil unrest: This is for theft and vandalism of livestock.

Volume of insured acres of farmland in the US from 2016 to 2019, by crop

Farms are plentiful in the US, and owning one can come with a lot of rewards. It's important to understand what may not be included under your insurance policies for your farm or ranch in Tennessee.

What Doesn't Farm and Ranch Insurance Cover in Tennessee?

Your Tennessee farm or ranch will have multiple risk exposures, and not all will fit under your policies. It's essential to know what your insurance might not cover.

Coverage that could be added but does not come standard on your policy:

• Accidental shooting
• Drowning
• Attack by wild animals
• The collapse of a building on livestock
• Flooding

What your farm and ranch insurance will exclude:

• Old age
• Death by natural causes
• Disease

How Much Livestock Is Covered under Farm and Ranch Insurance in Tennessee?

You'll need to account for accidents and diseases that could impact your herd. Some carriers have a more comprehensive animal mortality policy that includes sickness and disease. Check out three ways to cover your livestock:

• Individual coverage: This insurance usually covers higher-value animals on an individual basis. The animals are listed on the policy according to some 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.

Total US farm income from livestock and products from 2001 to 2020 (in thousand US dollarss)

Your farm could profit from having a herd and all that goes with it. If you own livestock and develop products from them, such as milk, soap, and meat, then you'll want the proper coverage.

Common Risks on a Tennessee Farm or Ranch

To have a successful farm or ranch, you'll need to know the exposures so you can protect them. It's good practice to understand how your farm and ranch insurance works and what risks you are covering.

Your independent insurance agent will need to know the following to get started:

• Your herd's specifics: You'll need to cover the risks that are specific to your herd. Horses will have different needs from cattle, and so on.
• What your livestock is worth: This is the value you can get in the marketplace for your livestock. You are covering the risk of the replacement cost if something happened to them.
• If you have crops: If your farm deals with planting and producing crops, you'll need separate crop insurance.
• Other structures and buildings: If you have a home, pole barns, and more on your property, you'll need coverage for the buildings themselves.
• Preemptive protection you have in place: Carriers will want to know how you are proactive, such as if you are accounting for the risk of predators by having fencing and more. 

Standard risks that will need covering under your farm and ranch insurance will be fire, theft, vandalism, storm damage, and flooding. Coverage can be found through several different policies and reviewed with a professional. 

Additional Coverage for Your Farm and Ranch Policy

There are multiple policy offerings for every farm and ranch. Your operation will have unique coverages tailored to your risk so that you're properly insured. Take a look at some additional coverage options for your farm or ranch in Tennessee that you may want to consider:

• Commercial umbrella insurance: This policy can be obtained for additional liability coverage above and beyond your underlying limits. 
• Inland marine insurance for farm equipment: This can be added to any farm policy that uses equipment, tractors, and more for tending to a farm.
• Extended liability limits: You can increase your underlying liability limits for added coverage.

How a Tennessee Independent Insurance Agent Can Help

If you own a farm or ranch in Tennessee, there are several policies you'll need to consider. It can be confusing to know what applies to your operation if you're not a licensed professional. Instead of going it alone, use a trusted adviser to review your policies for free.

A Tennessee independent insurance agent will have access to multiple markets so that you're always getting the best policy for a fair price. They do the shopping for you too, saving time and money. Connect with a local expert on TrustedChoice to get started.