Much has changed in recent years with farm operations but one thing remains constant, farmers still work long hours, the workload is heavy, and you need to be alert to possible hazards and dangers on your farm.
Most of you still rely heavily on family members and maybe some key farm labourers. Today’s farms have seen some automation but there is still much manual labour critical for a farm operation to be successful. As you struggle through the daily duties and heavy demands of your time energy, there is a potential for you to be injured requiring medical aid. This is something that may worry you knowing the day’s work still needs to be done.
While farm insurance policies don’t offer assistance for the normal aches and pains, bruises, cuts and scrapes that come with the physical aspect of farming, coverage is available for larger injuries which could hinder operations. What happens if you are seriously hurt and unable to perform all the important duties that are critical to your farm operations? Have you prepared if your injuries are more serious?
Erie Mutual provides Farmer’s Accident Insurance, it’s intended to protect farmers so that an injury will not prevent important farm activities from getting done. There is no long term compensation since the plan is not meant to replace the comprehensive Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD & D) insurance available through other providers. But it does provide a basic payment in the event of either an accidental death or dismemberment.
Depending on the amount of insurance purchased, the insurer will pay for expenses related to hiring people to complete the activities that are essential to sustaining the farm income. Certain severe injuries which are suffered within 365 days of the farm accident will also be paid. These may include the loss of hands, feet, arms, legs, vision, speech, hearing or, more critically, suffering quadriplegia, paraplegia, or loss of life.
Buying Farmers Accident Insurance is easy: simply complete an application, choose an amount of coverage, and provide a beneficiary. Cost is minimal, less than $100 annually when bought from an Ontario Mutual Insurance Company.
Given the ease and low cost to purchase, most farmers must buy this insurance, right? Unfortunately not. In fact, hardly ever. Maybe that’s due in part to human nature; don’t we all often assume that bad things won’t happen to us? But bad things do in fact occasionally happen to many of us. With that in mind, it’s important for insurers to educate, advise, and recommend to their farm clients the various coverages available for the farm insurance policy. It’s not enough to insure livestock, buildings, and equipment. Insuring the farm income should be at the forefront of every discussion.
Erie Mutual Insurance proudly serves the commercial insurance, farm insurance, home insurance and auto insurance needs of members throughout Southern Ontario including Haldimand, Niagara and Hamilton.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have about this or any other topic related to your insurance.
