- - AGRICULTURAL CORE CURRICULUM - - (CLF 1000) Advanced Core Cluster: Agricultural Business Management (CLF1650) Unit Title: Insurance ______________________________________________________________________________ (CLF 1651) Topic: Agribusiness Insurance Hours Years 2 3 / 4 ______________________________________________________________________________ Topic Objectives: Upon completion of this lesson, the student will be able to: Learning Outcome #: (L-1) - Describe in writing the basic purpose of insurance (L-2) - List the types of insurance used in agribusiness (including crop and livestock insurance). References: Luening, R. A., Klemme, R. M., & Mortenson, W. P. (1991). THE FARM MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK (7th ed.). Danville, IL: Interstate Publishers. Osburn, D. D., & Schneeberger, K. C. (1983). MODERN AGRICULTURAL MANAGEMENT: A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO FARMING (2nd ed.). Reston, VA: Reston Publishing. Resources: Current information material available from the Federal Crop Insurance Corp. Evaluation: Topic Presentation: agribusiness Insurance A. Basic Purpose of Insurance 1. The basic purpose of insurance is to provide financial protection against unexpected economic loss. a. For a small, predictable cost (the premium), large, unpredictable financial losses can be substantially reduced. b. Insurance is an example of risk transfer: In exchange for money (the premium), specific risks are transferred from the insurance policyholder to the insurance company. 2. Insurance Costs a. Insurance rates are determined by the statistical probability that there will be a loss, i.e., if the chances of loss are great, the insurance premiums will be high, while if the chances of loss are low, the insurance premiums will be low. b. Insurance premium rates are constantly reviewed and adjusted upward or downward to reflect recent loss experience. c. Buying insurance should not be an automatic decision; insurance coverage choices involve a tradeoff between cost and benefit, just like any other business decision. 3. Insurance needs vary greatly, depending on several factors: a. The nature of the particular business - An enterprise that uses tractors and/or many different kinds of complex and dangerous machinery is more hazardous than an enterprise with little machinery. b. The willingness of the firm or family to assume various levels of risk - Some people prefer high-risk, high-payoff activities, while others prefer low-risk, low-payoff activities. c. The financial ability of the firm or family to assume various levels of risk - Some firms have larger cash reserves and/or inventories and can sustain fairly heavy losses without serious disruption of their business. However, a firm that has small or no cash reserves or that has heavy debts can be put into bankruptcy by even a relatively small, unexpected loss. d. The overall situation and goals of the firm or family - Numerous factors should be considered prior to buying or not buying various kinds and amounts of insurance. 1) Having 100% insurance protection from unexpected losses is not economically feasible. 2) Money spent on insurance is diverted from other uses. 3) A firm or family's priorities should be considered when deciding what percentage of available funds should be spent on insurance. 4. Points to Consider when Buying Insurance a. It is usually advisable to have insurance coverage for situations in which a loss is likely to occur. b. Insure against losses that would lead to financial disaster. c. Insure the most vital lives and property first. d. Do not insure items that can be easily and economically replaced. B. Types of Insurance Used in Agribusiness 1. Fire and Extended Coverage a. Fire and wind insurance on farm buildings, machinery, livestock, and building contents is advisable for both farmers and agribusinesses. b. Fire insurance is particularly important in rural areas because modern firefighting equipment is often lacking and it takes more time to get to a remote rural area even when a fire is promptly reported. c. Fire insurance rates vary by geographical area and basically reflect the history of losses and the physical characteristics of property. Fire hazards can usually be reduced substantially if cheap and simple preventive steps are taken. Fires caused by spontaneous combusion can be reduced by having all hay and grain thoroughly dry and well cured before they are put into storage. 1) Farm fires occur frequently and are generally due to seven causes...all of which are largely preventable. These are: - Defective chimneys and heating apparatus - Combustible roofs - Lightning - Spontaneous combustion or ignition - Misuse of electricity - Matches and smoking - Gasoline, kerosene, and other fuels 2) Carelessness causes a large number of farm fires. d. Fire insurance rates are generally lower on buildings that have safety features such as approved lightning rods and approved roofs. Nearly 25% of all farm fires are caused by lightning. e. Fire insurance rates are also generally lower in areas served by organized fire protection services. f. It is usually sufficient to insure a farm building for an amount that would permit functional replacement rather than replication of the original building. 2. Insurance on Machinery a. Any farmer or agribusiness whose operation is dependent on machinery, or who has a large percentage of the firm's total capital tied up in machinery, needs insurance on that machinery. b. The theft of a major piece of equipment is a major financial loss; overturn and fire are more likely. Any type of loss that occurs during a harvest period would also lead to loss of earnings. 3. Comprehensive Liability Insurance a. Liability insurance covers personal injuries and property damage to third parties to whom the policyholder is legally liable. b. Medical payments are made to injured persons regardless of legal liability. c. Protection is extended only on property described in the policy. 4. Liability Insurance for Employees and Workers' Compensation a. Coverage for liability resulting from injuries to employees can usually be obtained by endorsement to a comprehensive liability policy. b. Workers' compensation insurance covers any injury to an employee that arises out of employment. 1) Workers' compensation insurance does not require a lawsuit in order to collect money to compensate for an injury. Any injury to a worker is covered, regardless of who is at fault. 2) Workers' compensation does not have a specific limit to the amount of money available to cover an injury; this is different than liability insurance which has a specific limit to the amount of coverage, depending on the amount of premium paid. ______________________________________________________________________________ NOTE TO INSTRUCTOR: See CLF1803, Management's Responsibility in Farm Safety, for more comprehensive and detailed information regarding workers' compensation insurance in California. ______________________________________________________________________________ 5. Crop Insurance a. Crop insurance--administered by the USDA's Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC)--is a partnership among the U.S. federal government, the farmer, and the private insurance industry. b. Crop insurance is available to owner-operators, tenants, renters, crop-share landlords, partnerships, corporations, and estates. 1) If the crop insurance policyholder has only a partial share of a crop, the premium and any indemnity payments are prorated on the basis of the share. d. Crops that can be insured in 1992 include the following: Almonds, Apples, Barley, Canning beans, Citrus, Citrus trees, Corn, Cotton, Cranberries, Dry Beans, Dry Peas, Figs, Flax, Forage production, Forage seeding, Fresh market sweet corn, Fresh plum, Grain sorghum, Grapes, Green peas, Hybrid seed corn, Hybrid sorghum seed, Macadamia nuts, Macadamia trees, Nursery, Oats, Onions, Peaches, Peanuts, Pears, Peppers, Popcorn, Potatoes, Prunes, Raisins, Rice, Rye, Safflower, Soybeans, Sugarbeets, Sugarcane, Sunflowers, Stonefruit, Sweet corn, Table grapes, Tobacco, Tomatoes, Walnuts, Wheat 1) Not all crops are insurable in every county; anyone who wishes to purchase crop insurance should check with a local insurance agent. e. The premium for crop insurance generally does not have to be paid in advance. (This is in contrast to most other types of insurance where the premium is paid at the start of the protection period.) 1) A bill for the premium on crop insurance isn't mailed until approximately haarvest time. 2) If there is a loss on the insured crop, the premium cost is deducted from the indemnity payment. f. Crop insurance can be used as collateral for loans. 6. Livestock Insurance a. Unlike crop insurance, livestock insurance has no federal program. b. Livestock insurance normally covers fire, accident, and predator damage but it does not cover death by disease or natural death. b. Because of the high cost of premiums in relation to the amount of protection offerred, livestock insurance is not routinely purchased. 1) Livestock insurance would normally be purchased only on extremely valuable breeding stock. 7. Life Insurance a. Because agricultural occupations are extremely hazardous and also because they frequently require high levels of debt, life insurance is often not only prudent but required (by banks making loans). b. Term life insurance gives protection only and is available for a specified number of years. 1) When a loan is made and secured by land, the policy is one with declining coverage that corresponds to the loan balance outstanding; this type of insurance is sometimes called mortgage insurance. c. The sudden death of a farmer/agribusiness owner-operator or manager would almost certainly lead to immediate and severe financial problems. Consequently, life insurance is a risk management strategy to protect the assets of a firm or family. 1) Levels of financial protection needed are influenced by many factors and vary greatly depending on the circumstances and long range goals of the firm or family. 8. Health and Accident Insurance a. Health and accident insurance are important in agribusiness for the same reason that life insurance is: Agricultural work is an extremely hazardous occupation where both accidents and disease are common and severe. (See CLF1800, 1801, 1802, 1803, SAFETY IN AGRIBUSINESS OPERATIONS.) 1) Medical services in rural areas are becoming less available at a time when accidents and diseases among agricultural workers are becoming more common due to the increasing use of large and complex machinery and dangerous chemicals. 2) The consequences of injuries and diseases in rural areas are often magnified by the long period between the onset of disease or injury and the time when treatment is obtained. As a result, recovery time is often longer. 3) Since agricultural activities frequently have to be done at certain specified times (harvest, application of fertilizer, for example) major medical bills coupled with absence from work at a crucial time can mean financial as well as medical disaster in many instances. 4) Health and accident insurance--although expensive--may be less expensive than the consequences of not having this type of insurance. 9. Income Protection/Disability Insurance a. Whenever there is an injury or illness, there is usually also absence from work; the more serious the injury or illness, the longer the absence from work. b. Income protection insurance can reduce the financial loss resulting from the combination of medical bills and work loss. c. In the event that the person injured or ill is crucial to the farm or business, the availability of insurance to cover hiring a temporary replacement may mean the difference between being able to stay in business and going bankrupt. ____________________________________________________________ ACTIVITY: 1. Have class members check on what type of insurance their family maintains. Determine what has happened in the event of accidents and/or illnesses that were or were not covered by insurance. 2. Invite an insurance agent to address the class on the types of insurance most frequently sold and the types of losses most frequently suffered. Does the insurance coverage actually maintained meet the real insurance needs of the policyholders? How might insurance coverage be improved in order to better meet the insurance needs of farmers and agribusiness firms in the area? ____________________________________________________________ 12/14/91 CH/BF/ch #%&C