Best Farm Insurance Companies

Farm insurance is a unique type of insurance, much different from homeowners insurance or business insurance. It’s also a broad category, as it can include small family farms, hobby farms, large agribusinesses, and ranches. In addition to covering any type of farming equipment, farm insurance can also cover your home and provide liability protection against lawsuits that could arise from your farm's operations. 

Since it’s fairly complex and requires a thorough understanding of both your farming activities and the insurance options that can cover them, it’s best to speak with a trusted independent insurance agent who can guide you through the process and make sure your farm is properly covered. Until then, here's a look at our top picks for the best farm and ranch insurance companies of this year. 

The Six Best Farm Insurance Companies

Where can you find the best farm insurance coverage this year? Don't worry; we're here to help you get the right policy. We ranked our top six best agricultural insurance companies based on several criteria. 

Our top farm insurance companies' ratings are based on a carrier's customer satisfaction ratings, discount options, available coverage, policy options, and more. Find our rankings for the best insurance companies for farmers across several specific categories below.

• Best farm insurance company overall: Nationwide
• Best farm insurance company for property coverage: Markel
• Best farm insurance company for customer service: Main Street America
• Best farm insurance company for policy enhancements: Travelers
• Best farm insurance company for hobby farms and other niches: USAA (via Travelers)
• Best farm insurance company for additional coverage options: American Family

Best Farm Insurance Company Overall: Nationwide

Pros:	Cons:
Offers several farm insurance package options	Some negative customer feedback
Coverage is available in every state
Outstanding financial stability
Customizable policies and packages
24/7 claims reporting

Nationwide dates back to 1926 and offers farm and ranch insurance in all 50 states. In addition to offering farm insurance, Nationwide also offers home and auto, commercial, and life insurance. And since it operates in both the personal and commercial insurance spheres, its farm insurance products can cover any size of farming operation. 

Nationwide offers three types of farm policies that are specifically designed for small hobby farms, traditional farms and ranches, and agribusinesses. The insurance company has high ratings from AM Best and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and allows 24/7 claims reporting. 

In addition to offering outstanding farm insurance coverage, Nationwide is an all-around reliable and longstanding insurance carrier, which easily earns it our top spot on this list.

Best Farm Insurance Company for Property Coverage: Markel

Pros:	Cons:
Experienced farm and ranch insurer	Must contact an agent to get a quote
Offers multiple property coverage enhancements
Offers green coverage up to $5,000
Offers sub-limit increases for pollutant clean-up coverage
Offers 24/7 claims reporting

Markel dates back to 1930 and has been selling farm and ranch coverage for more than 50 years. In addition to the standard coverages needed in farm insurance, Markel offers many property coverage enhancements. 

Customers can choose to increase their sub-limits on property coverage, increase the total limit on their pollutant clean-up coverage, increase the limits on new construction coverage, add green coverage, add water back-up endorsements, or add disruption of farming operations coverage. Markel also has excellent ratings by both AM Best and the BBB and offers 24/7 claims reporting.

Best Farm Insurance Company for Customer Service: Main Street America

Pros:	Cons:
Longstanding carrier dating back 100 years	Coverage not available nationwide
Offers 24/7 claims reporting
Low volume of customer complaints compared to competitors
Offers many additional coverage options
Customizable policies

Main Street America dates back to 1923 and has officially been offering insurance coverage for a century. The insurance company offers many additional coverage options for its farm insurance products, including care, custody, and control liability coverage, pollution liability coverage, irrigation and farm machinery coverage, and equipment breakdown coverage. 

Unfortunately, Main Street America's farm insurance coverage territory currently only extends across 16 states. However, with excellent ratings from both AM Best and the BBB, as well as numerous discount options, Main Street America is an excellent choice for those living in areas where coverage is available.

Best Farm Insurance Company for Policy Enhancements: Travelers

Pros:	Cons:
Longstanding carrier dating back 170 years	Some negative customer feedback
Extremely high ratings by AM Best and the BBB
Long list of policy enhancement options
Offers several discounts
Affordable rates

Travelers dates back to 1853 and sells many types of insurance in addition to its farm and ranch policies. Travelers leads the pack in terms of policy enhancements when it comes to farm insurance. 

The carrier offers a long list of enhancement options, including enhanced pollutant clean-up, equine property, equipment breakdown (farm equipment and outbuildings or dwellings), farm computer, high-value dwelling, and orchard and vineyard growers coverage. 

Customers can also add winery property endorsements through Travelers. The carrier has outstanding ratings from both AM Best and the BBB and is known for offering affordable coverage rates along with numerous discount options.

Best Farm Insurance Company for Hobby Farms and Other Niches: USAA (via Travelers)

Pros:	Cons:
Longstanding carrier dating back more than 100 years	Partnership with Travelers means coverage is not sold directly through USAA
Offers coverage for many different types of farms	USAA is only available to military members, veterans, and their families
Offers customizable policies
Members earn great coverage discounts

USAA dates back to 1922 and offers farm and ranch insurance, among numerous other policies, for military members, veterans, and their families. USAA partners with Travelers to offer farm and ranch coverage for many different farm niches, including hobby farms, estate farms, grain growers and ranches, equine operations, orchards and vineyards, and standalone tractors and equipment. 

USAA has the highest possible rating from AM Best for financial strength. Policy members of USAA can earn large discounts on farm and ranch insurance, as well as many other coverages. 

Best Farm Insurance Company for Additional Coverage Options: American Family

Pros:	Cons:
Offers numerous add-on coverages	Coverage is not available in every state
Longstanding carrier
Excellent ratings
Offers 24/7 claims reporting

American Family dates back to 1927 and has outstanding ratings by both AM Best and the BBB. The carrier offers numerous add-on coverages for farm and ranch insurance policies. 

Customers can add farm equipment breakdown coverage, replacement cost coverage for irrigation systems, farm income protection coverage, livestock & animal farm insurance, and peak season coverage, among others. 

American Family is also known for having outstanding customer service availability. Though coverage isn't available in every state, American Family is a great choice for those who live in areas where policies are offered.

How We Select the Best Farm and Ranch Insurance Companies

We evaluated farm insurance companies based on several criteria and applied a calculated methodology to develop our list of top carriers across several categories. More than 10 farm insurance carriers were evaluated in terms of pros and cons, including overall website, customer service availability, coverage options, discounts and benefits, coverage rates, online quote availability, coverage territory, financial strength, and history in the insurance industry. 

We also conducted an assessment of combined carrier reputation and farm and ranch insurance options and prices to craft our list of top picks for providers in every category above.

What to Look for in a Farm Insurance Policy

Insurance for farmers comes with several important components. You need to protect multiple aspects of your farm, including its business operations, property, livestock, buildings, and more. 

Crop and livestock insurance are an essential part of a complete farm and ranch insurance plan. A comprehensive farm insurance policy often includes the following:

• Rural property insurance: This is a special type of homeowners insurance designed for properties that aren't close to a fire station or fire hydrant. It can protect your primary residence on your farm from many different perils, including fire damage.
• Crop insurance: This can reimburse you for covered disasters that impact your crops. There are different types of crop insurance to consider:
  • Crop hail insurance: This covers your crops against damage and destruction from fire and hail. 
  • Multi-peril crop insurance (MPCI): This covers your crops against many different perils, including hail, frost, wind, disease, drought, fire, flooding, and insect damage. You may also hear this coverage referred to as weather-related crop insurance.
  • Crop revenue insurance: This can reimburse farmers during seasons in which their crops have a low yield or the price of their crops is low. Because this coverage helps protect farmers' earnings from crops, it's also sometimes referred to as crop failure insurance.
• Livestock insurance: This can reimburse farmers for the death of their livestock due to many different perils, including fire, lightning, floods, loading and unloading accidents, electrocution, attacks by other animals, accidental shootings, and earthquakes. There are several specific types of livestock insurance available, including:
  • Cattle insurance (also called dairy cow insurance): This protects your farm's cattle from accidental death and more.
  • Poultry farm insurance: This protects farms with chickens, turkeys, and hens from the accidental death of their animals.
  • Swine insurance: This protects your farm's pigs from accidental death and more.
• Farm equipment insurance: This protects your farm equipment and property from many different perils, including vandalism and fire damage.
• Tractor insurance: This can reimburse farmers for losses and destruction related to their tractors, including theft and fire damage.
• Barn insurance: This protects barns on your farm against many different perils, including lightning, vandalism, and more.
• Silo insurance: This protects silos on your farm against losses due to vandalism, fire damage, and many other perils.
• Irrigation equipment insurance: This can reimburse farmers for losses related to irrigation equipment, including sprinklers and misters, caused by vandalism, theft, fire damage, etc.

An independent insurance agent can help you build a complete farm and ranch insurance policy.

How Much Does Farm Insurance Cost?

The cost of farm and ranch insurance can vary based on many different factors, including:

An independent insurance agent can help you find affordable farm insurance near you.

Here's How an Independent Insurance Agent Can Help

When you're ready to protect your farm or ranch, no one's better equipped to help than a local independent insurance agent. These agents have access to all the best farm and ranch insurance companies, so they're free to shop and compare quotes and policies for you. And down the road, your agent can help you file farm insurance claims and update your coverage when necessary.