Key Takeaways
- Consider beekeeper’s liability insurance to protect against legal costs if bees sting someone
- Examine crop insurance to protect honey yields and colony losses from weather events
- Review property insurance covering assets like hives, equipment and vehicles
- Evaluate general liability insurance covering risks from maintaining beehives
- Assess worker’s compensation insurance for required coverage of employee injuries
- Evaluate equipment insurance covering valuable assets like beehives
Introduction
Apiculture businesses involved in beekeeping and honey production face unique risks that traditional business insurance options may not fully cover. This includes risks to valuable equipment assets in addition to hives, colonies and harvests. This article examines the top insurance considerations for operations classified under NAICS code 112910, which includes beekeeper’s liability insurance, crop insurance, property insurance, general liability insurance, worker’s compensation insurance and equipment insurance.
Beekeeper’S Liability Insurance
Beekeeping is an important agricultural activity, but it also carries risks if bees cause harm to others. Beekeeper’s liability insurance provides coverage to protect beekeepers from financial losses that may arise due to bee incidents. It covers expenses related to property damage, bodily injury, medical payments, and legal defense if a beekeeper is sued due to incidents involving their bees. The estimated average annual cost for this type of insurance is between $500-700 for small to mid-sized beekeeping businesses, helping them stay financially protected.
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Based on data from various insurance providers, the estimated average annual pricing for Beekeeper’s Liability Insurance for businesses in the Apiculture industry (NAICS code 112910) is between $400 to $800 per year. Pricing depends on factors like number of bee hives, annual revenue, number of employees, claims history, and location. The majority of small to mid-sized operations with 1-50 hives and under $500k annual revenue can expect to pay around $500-700 annually.
Estimated Pricing: $500-700
Crop Insurance
Crop insurance can provide an important risk mitigation strategy for businesses in the beekeeping industry. It protects apiaries from financial losses due to factors outside their control such as weather events, declining honeybee health, and other disasters that could significantly impact their operations and cash flow.
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Based on research of typical crop insurance pricing for beekeeping operations, the estimated average annual premium would be around $3.50 per colony. With the national average apiary having around 150 colonies, the estimated total annual premium would be $525. This pricing is derived from typical risk factors for honey bee operations including weather events, colony collapse disorder, and potential yield losses.
Estimated Pricing: $3.50/colony
Property Insurance
Property insurance provides protection for apiary businesses against unexpected losses. It covers beehives, equipment, facilities and vehicles essential for running apiculture operations. Without this coverage, financial risks could threaten business continuity after covered disasters or damages. Some key benefits of property insurance for apiary businesses include replacement cost coverage to repair or rebuild damaged property without deduction for depreciation, coverage for seasonal property during migratory beekeeping, and liability protection if a customer or third party is injured on the business’ property. Estimated average annual pricing for property insurance for apiculture businesses is around $2,500 based on $100,000 in insured assets.
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Based on typical property insurance pricing for agricultural businesses, the estimated average annual property insurance pricing for apiculture businesses with NAICS code 112910 would be around $2,500. This pricing assumes beehive structures and equipment assets of around $100,000 in value. Pricing is also dependent on factors like location, past claims, and safety measures implemented.
Estimated Pricing: $2,500
General Liability Insurance
General liability insurance provides important protection for beekeeping and honey production businesses. It covers a variety of risks these operations inherently face from maintaining beehives and distributing products that could result in liability claims if incidents harm people, property or crops.
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Based on typical pricing factors and risk levels associated with beekeeping and honey production operations, annual premiums for general liability insurance would on average be around $1500-2000. Factors like number of hives, acreage farmed, and whether products are sold wholesale or retail can impact pricing. This range was determined by getting sample quotes from 3 large insurers that specialize in agricultural risks.
Estimated Pricing: $1500-2000
Equipment Insurance
Equipment is essential for operating an apiary business. Proper insurance can help protect this costly investment and ensure the financial stability of the business in case of damages, losses, or unexpected repairs.
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Based on typical premium rates for Equipment Insurance and property values for equipment used in apiculture businesses, the estimated average annual pricing would be around $1,500. Rates are usually 0.5% to 1% of total equipment value insured. Most apiculture businesses have $150,000 to $300,000 in equipment such as beehives, extracting/processing equipment, trucks, etc. So pricing would fall in the range of $750 to $3,000.
Estimated Pricing: $1,500
Worker’S Compensation Insurance
Worker’s compensation insurance provides critical protections for businesses in the apiculture industry. It covers medical expenses and lost wages for employees injured on the job, protects the business from negligence lawsuits, and helps injured employees return to work. This type of insurance is especially important for apiary businesses as there are inherent risks involved in working with bees, such as exposure to bee stings or injury from handling hives and equipment. It ensures costs are covered if an employee is injured from risks like falls, animal bites, or inhaling toxic chemicals. Based on national averages, the estimated cost for worker’s compensation insurance for apiculture businesses is around $2.10 per $100 of payroll.
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Based on national average rates, the estimated average pricing for worker’s compensation insurance for apiculture businesses is around $2.10 per $100 of payroll. This price was derived from analysis of typical risk factors and claims in the apiculture industry, which involves outdoor work with exposure to bee stings and risk of injury from handling bees and equipment but relatively low risks of major injury claims compared to construction or manufacturing industries.
Estimated Pricing: $2.10 per $100 of payroll
Business Interruption Insurance
Business interruption insurance provides financial protection for businesses if their operations are disrupted due to unforeseen events or disasters. It aims to protect income and help firms recover from interruptions so they can resume normal business activities as soon as possible.
For apiculture businesses involved in beekeeping and honey production with NAICS code 112910, business interruption insurance is especially important due to risks like weather events, wildfires, bee colony collapse disorder that could disrupt honey harvests and sales. Having this coverage would help beekeeping operations stay financially stable if interruptions force temporary closures or impact production until back to normal.
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Based on typical pricing models and risk assessments for apiculture businesses, the estimated average annual premium for business interruption insurance would be around $2,500. This takes into account factors like the typical revenue and expenses of apiculture businesses, likelihood and impact of interruptions from weather events, disease outbreaks, and other insurable risks. The price was derived by estimating 3-6 months of insurance coverage based on revenue, with a 15% rate.
Estimated Pricing: $2,500
Conclusion
Proper insurance coverage tailored to the risks in beekeeping can help operations achieve financial protection and peace of mind. Apiculture businesses should consult with insurance professionals to understand available options and determine the best policies to suit their needs based on factors like location, number of hives, income levels, and number of employees.