What is farm liability insurance?

Farm liability coverage helps protect you financially if someone is injured on your farm or ranch, or if you accidentally damage someone else’s property during farm operations. If you welcome visitors, sell products, or run seasonal activities, the right liability insurance can help keep your operation moving forward when the unexpected happens.

Here’s a simple breakdown of common farm liability coverages, plus a few optional coverages you may want to ask your agent about.

Why farm liability coverage matters

Farms and ranches are unique—often a home, workplace, and gathering spot all in one. That means you may have more day-to-day situations where accidents can happen, like a visitor tripping near a barn, an animal getting spooked by a crowd, or equipment accidentally causing damage off your property.

Liability coverage is important in scenarios like these, where you’re legally responsible even though you didn’t intend for anything to happen.

Personal liability coverage on and off the farm

Personal liability coverage can help when you’re legally responsible for:

• Accidental injuries to other people
• Medical expenses related to those injuries
• Property damage to someone else’s belongings

When liability coverage may help

Here are a few common examples of when liability coverage could come into play:

Bodily injury from a farm accident. A visitor is hurt after being kicked by a spooked horse.

Medical payments to others. Someone slips on your farm or ranch and needs medical care. Depending on your policy, this may apply regardless of fault.

Negligent acts of your children. Your child forgets to latch the gate, and a goat wanders onto a nearby road, causing an accident.

Acts of your pets. Your dog jumps up to greet a guest, causing them to fall and get hurt.

Acts of your livestock. Your old dairy cow is typically very gentle, but she gets spooked and steps on a guest’s foot.

Farmers markets and roadside stands. You make delicious jam from berries you grow, but a customer gets sick after eating some from a batch you sell.

Agritainment and agritourism. Seasonal activities like corn mazes, pumpkin patches, hayrides, and sleigh rides are popular but create more visitor liability risk.

Fire legal liability. Equipment you store catches fire, and the fire spreads—damaging a neighboring barn.

Products/completed operations. A product you sell causes injury or property damage after it leaves your control.

Optional liability coverages for your farm or ranch

Because no two operations are exactly alike, you may be able to add optional coverages to better match how you work. Depending on your needs, consider asking your agent about options such as:

Custom farm work. If you plant, harvest, or perform farm work for others.

Employers liability. Extra protection related to employee injuries—separate from workers’ compensation in many situations.

Pollution limited coverage. For certain sudden and accidental events, like an insecticide spill.

Unmanned aircraft system limited coverage. Offers liability and physical damage coverage if you use a drone to help manage your farm operations.

Care, custody, and control liability. If you care for livestock owned by others.

Incidental business pursuits. For certain independent businesses run on your property, such as a beauty or barber shop, bait shop, direct sales, dog breeding, firewood sales, horse training, pet grooming, and more.

Farm chemicals limited liability. For incidents like pesticide drift that could damage a neighbor’s property.

Fruit or vegetable picking by the public. Coverage for pick-your-own operations catering to consumers wanting farm-to-table dining at home.

Horse boarding. If you board horses owned by others.

Discover the right coverage for your operation

Your farm is more than a business—it’s your home and your way of life. If you’re not sure what liability protection you have and what you might need, an American Family Insurance agent can help you review your farm and ranch insurance options and tailor coverage to your operation.

This information represents only a brief description of coverages, is not part of your policy, and is not a promise or guarantee of coverage. If there is any conflict between this information and your policy, the provisions of the policy will prevail. Insurance policy terms and conditions may apply. Exclusions may apply to policies, endorsements, or riders. Coverage may vary by state and may be subject to change. Some products are not available in every state. Please read your policy and contact your agent for assistance.