If you have livestock, you know that things beyond your control can happen to affect the health and life of your livestock—things such as floods, lightning, fire, sinkholes and someone stealing or hurting your livestock. Just as you have insurance to cover your house, equipment and family, you also need to have insurance for your livestock. There are some options to choose from, and it's best to talk with an independent insurance agent before you decide the option that is best for you.

Within these three options, you will also need to know what the insurance covers. Talk with your agent about comprehensive coverage that can include accidents, sickness, theft etc., and limited coverage that can include natural disasters, animal attacks and heating system breakdowns. 

Option 1: Individual Animal Coverage 

If you have animals that are considered high-value, such as a stud bull, then you might want to consider purchasing this option. Just as the title suggests, you would list each animal separately and obtain a coverage line for each. This is similar to having coverage for several cars that your family owns with one of them being an antique classic car or a car that is much more expensive to replace than all the other cars. 

Option 2: Blanket Coverage 

As the name suggests, blanket coverage provides a breadth of coverage for your farm and livestock. In addition to providing coverage for your livestock, blanket policies may also provide coverage for farm equipment and structures. The key is to be sure that you have adequate coverage for everything. This is similar to home insurance that covers the house, the contents in the house and might even include sheds. 

Option 3: Herd Coverage 

If you have many animals on your farm, it might be best to insure them as a whole group. Herd coverage is actually the easiest coverage for you since it provides coverage for a herd of 200, or 600 or whatever number you and your insurer decide is best. 

Is your livestock adequately protected? If you aren't sure, look at these three options and make an appointment to talk with an independent insurance agent today.