For many farmers in the Licking, MO, area, farms are both a home and a livelihood — which makes them all the more important to keep safe and insured. That’s why Texas County Mutual Insurance has provided a quick guide for farmers to help them understand the different types of farm insurance available and the circumstances in which one type of insurance is preferable to another.

Here’s a breakdown on farm insurance from Licking’s leading insurance experts:

• Farm Machinery Insurance: Tractors, sprayers, combines, and other pieces of farm equipment are incredibly costly. Do you have a plan if a sudden fire destroys any equipment? Lightning strikes, towing accidents, and other types of common damage can result in losing the ability to effectively manage a farm. Farm machinery insurance gives you the peace of mind knowing that if something does happen to any equipment, you’ll have the ability to immediately repair or replace it.
• Crop Insurance: A lot of things can go wrong when growing crops. Natural disasters such as drought or unseasonably cold weather can halt crop growth, eliminating your source of income. There are many different types of crop insurance that cover everything from the weather to vandalism to transportation losses. If you’re risk-averse and want the certainty of knowing your family is provided for no matter what, crop insurance is a smart financial investment.
• Flood Insurance: A common type of insurance for farmers in Missouri, flood insurance covers you if your farm or crops are damaged by flood waters. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s FEMA Flood Map Service Center gives you the ability to search your address and see if your farm is located on a flood plain, giving you a better idea of whether flood insurance is a good choice.
• Workers’ Compensation Insurance: Operating today’s industrial farm equipment requires training and meticulous care. Unfortunately, even careful farm workers can still have accidents, and a single injury can end up costing you hundreds of thousands of dollars. If you employ anyone who works with heavy equipment, you should consider workers’ compensation insurance to cover the cost of hospital care.

Whether you’re looking for a complete farm insurance plan, machinery insurance, or another type of insurance entirely, Texas County Mutual Insurance’s experienced agents will talk with you in more detail about the best options for your unique situation. To get an insurance quote, call (573) 674-3125 or visit their website to learn more.