Insurance on pasture fencing?

[Krose]

I’m curious if anyone has insurance on their pasture fencing? We have about a mile of 3 or 4 board fencing on our farm. Even 15 years ago it cost the price of a small SUV to put in.

I have a family member who just got a job in the insurance industry, and helping people in western KY from the tornadoes that went thru last December, and she was commenting how so many people are having issues having to pay for new fencing out of pocket, because it wasn’t covered. I asked my insurance agent, as we have just about everything insured that we can, and they said no, it’s not covered, and not an option.

Does anyone know if they have a policy to cover this? Or maybe it’s just the nature of the industry, regardless of any kind of property or farm policy, none of it will ever cover any kind of fencing…

[Jarpur]

We have a Farm & Ranch policy. It covers fencing, but not at replacement cost, and the coverage decreases over 30 years, which is what the company considers to be the useful life of fencing.

We had some fencing damage due to a tropical storm, but as the affected fencing was well under 30 years old, the independent adjuster allowed something for the repair.

So, at least limited coverage might be out there.

[Huntin_Pony]

When Hurricane Sandy came through, my homeowner’s insurance covered. I was surprised and delighted of course.

[clanter]

homeowners will cover up to the limits outlined in coverage of addition insured for Residential property …and read carefully if you have a property that is or could be consider a farm/ranch as there will be points of demarcation where one coverage stops and the other begins (Home verses farm/ranch)

a standard Farm/Ranch business policy will not cover fencing unless there has been a specific rider added to the policy.

The reasoning being not all fences are equal thus very difficult to set a standard cost of value, each would need to be valued independently which can be done to add coverage to a standard policy But note some perils such as Flood often have to have another rider or policy.

(the cost to replace a barbed wire verses woven wire verses v mesh verses three or four board rail, then pitch in PVC vary greatly … I have seen over a thousand feet of PVC four rail fencing that bordered a highway that melted to the ground when the ditch caught fire)

[Krose]

And I wasn’t even thinking fire…mainly tornado or micro bursts of some kind that take down alot of it. I’m going to ask my insurance agent again to see what options there may be. I’m not in an area with alot of risk from natural disasters, but it would be nice to have options and look at the cost/benefit of coverage. Thanks for everyone’s feedback!

[clanter]

when talking with your agent get their response in writing and keep it

I worked as sub contractor for FEMA reviewing property damage after hurricane Katrina in the city of New Orleans (and south to Venice LA)

Several of the properties had Flood insurance however the coverage was very, very basic just enough to say they had flood insurance, when talking with the homeowner they thought their agent who was often a personal friend had written them an extensive coverage policy which they had not. The only option the homeowner had was to sue their agent for errors and omission

Regarding a business loss in a federal declared natural disaster. there are separate programs to help. Some are outright grants however most are low interest loans.

While in New Orleans I inspected one house whose owner was in tears over the loss of her industrial sewing machine that she used to make costumes for Bourbon Street players. I had to tell her that FEMA could not cover a business loss …more tears.

I knew some of the guys handling SBA applications, got her set up with them who then provided a direct grant to replace her lost business assets

https://directforgiveness.sba.gov/requests/borrower/login/?next=/

also made sure the woman knew of just what losses she could claim on taxes

Disaster Assistance and Emergency Relief for Individuals and Businesses |...

[happilyretired]

Around here (Central Florida) it can be a trick to even get farm insurance. I have it for my 15 acre farm (dressage training facility) and there was exactly 1 (and only 1) company that would write the policy. Brand new concrete block facility with a covered arena and modest house on property. In the middle of the state so not in the worst hurricane zone. No coverage for fencing.