Key Takeaways

  • Crop insurance protects livelihood from natural disasters and guarantees minimum income
  • General liability insurance covers legal costs from accidents and injuries
  • Property insurance reimburses costs of damaged assets like buildings and equipment
  • Commercial auto insurance provides coverage for vehicles used in daily operations
  • Workers compensation insurance covers medical costs and lost wages for injured employees
  • Farm equipment insurance protects investments in machinery from losses
  • Business interruption insurance covers lost income if operations are temporarily shut down

Introduction

Sugarcane farming involves risks from adverse weather, machinery accidents, chemical spills and injured employees. Proper insurance protects the financial stability and long-term viability of these businesses. This guide examines the top insurance policies sugarcane farms should consider to manage risks outside their control.

Crop Insurance

Crop insurance is a crucial risk management tool for sugarcane farming businesses. It provides financial protection against unexpected losses from natural disasters and adverse weather events that are outside of the farmer’s control. Crop insurance offers key benefits such as guaranteed minimum income, access to loans, and peace of mind. It also protects against specific perils like hurricanes, floods and disease that often impact sugarcane crops. Estimated average annual premiums are around $45 per acre.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protects livelihood and financial stability from natural disasters and adverse weather events
  • Guarantees an income floor by covering losses from crop failures or poor yields
  • Allows farmers to focus on farming instead of worrying about financial risks beyond their control
  • Provides access to loans and credit needed to operate farms and make capital investments
  • Encourages continued investment and economic growth of farms and rural communities
  • Peace of mind that farming families will be protected in the event of a catastrophe
  • May qualify for premium subsidies to help offset costs from the government
Use Cases
  • Protect against loss of sugarcane crops due to natural disasters like hurricanes, floods, droughts
  • Provide compensation for crop losses from plant disease or insect infestations
  • Cover financial losses from decline in crop yield or quality below the guaranteed level
  • Offer protection against drop in revenue from sugarcane crop failure or losses
  • Ensure ability to repay operating loans in the event of losses

Based on average pricing data from major crop insurance providers such as Great American, AgriSure, and CropGrowers, for sugarcane farming businesses classified under NAICS code 111930, the estimated average annual premium per acre is $45. This price is calculated based on 65% coverage of the insured value and factoring in risks such as drought, floods, and hurricanes which are common risks for sugarcane crops in regions like Florida and Louisiana.

Estimated Pricing: $45/acre

General Liability Insurance

General liability insurance is an important protection for sugarcane farming businesses. It covers legal costs and damages from common risks like accidents, chemical damage, injuries and transport damage that are part of daily farming operations. Some key benefits of general liability insurance for sugarcane farms include protecting from lawsuits if farm equipment causes accidents or injuries, covering legal costs and damages if sugarcane chemicals damage nearby properties, providing coverage if employees are injured on the job, helping pay for medical expenses and lost wages if visitors get hurt on farm property, and reimbursing costs if sugarcane product shipments cause damage during transport.

Category List
Benefits
  • Covers legal costs if someone is injured on your property
  • Pays for damage to customers’ property
  • Protects your business assets from lawsuits
  • Covers vehicle accidents involving your equipment on or off the property
  • Covers legal defense if you’re sued
  • Protects against pollution claims from chemical spills
  • Covers property damage to neighbors’ land from fires or flooding
  • Coverage for incidents involving hired/non-owned vehicles
  • Protection for errors and omissions in your business practices
Use Cases
  • Protect from lawsuits if farm equipment causes accidents or injuries
  • Cover legal costs and damages if sugarcane chemicals damage nearby properties
  • Provide coverage if employees are injured on the job
  • Pay for medical expenses and lost wages if visitors get hurt on farm property
  • Reimburse costs if sugarcane product shipments cause damage during transport

Based on industry data and risk factors, the average estimated annual pricing for general liability insurance for sugarcane farming businesses with NAICS code 111930 is around $5,000-$7,500 per year. Factors that impact pricing include acreage farmed, number of employees, past claims experience, and safety practices. The price range provided is an average and individual quotes may vary depending on a business’ specific risk profile.

Estimated Pricing: $5,000-$7,500

Property Insurance

Property insurance provides critical financial protection for businesses in the sugarcane farming industry. It covers physical assets like buildings, equipment, crops and vehicles from losses due to fires, storms, floods, accidents, and other unforeseen events. This allows farmers to replace damaged property and continue operations after insured claims. Sugarcane crops and farm vehicles, equipment, and machinery are also important to cover from losses outside a farmer’s control. Business interruption insurance further protects lost income if operations are disrupted. Affordable rates often make property insurance an essential investment for sugarcane farmers to manage risks and support financial stability.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protection against property damage or loss from risks like fire, theft, natural disasters
  • Reimbursement for damaged structures, equipment and inventory
  • Covers costs of damage to seasonal crops from weather events like hail, drought, frost
  • Protection for farm vehicles, tractors and other equipment used in operations
  • Covers liability if a visitor is injured on your property
  • Provides compensation for losses from business interruptions to continue operations
  • Covers additional living expenses if your home is damaged and uninhabitable
Use Cases
  • Protection against damages to farm buildings and structures from fires, storms, floods, etc.
  • Coverage for farm vehicles, equipment and machinery against accidents, theft and other losses
  • Liability insurance to protect the business from claims of injury or damage to others resulting from farm operations
  • Insurance for sugarcane crops against losses from natural disasters, pests and plant diseases
  • Business interruption coverage to replace lost profits if operations are disrupted by an insured event

Based on typical pricing factors including property values, risks of damage, past claims, location, and safety measures, the average estimated annual property insurance pricing for sugarcane farming businesses is around $5 per $100 of insured property value. For example, a sugarcane farm business with $1,000,000 in insured property values would pay around $5,000 annually for property insurance.

Estimated Pricing: $5 per $100 of insured property value

Commercial Auto Insurance

Commercial auto insurance provides critical coverage for vehicles used in sugarcane farming operations. It helps protect the financial stability of businesses by ensuring vehicles, trailers, and equipment can be replaced if damaged and the business is protected from liability claims arising from accidents. Top benefits of commercial auto insurance for sugarcane farming businesses include liability protection, physical damage coverage, medical payments coverage, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, replacement cost coverage for new vehicles, and coverage for trailers and farming equipment. Key use cases where commercial auto insurance provides protection include covering farm trucks transporting sugarcane, insuring liability from operating farm equipment on public roads, protecting business assets by insuring vehicles used in daily operations and maintenance, and replacing or repairing specialized farm equipment involved in accidents. On average, commercial auto insurance for businesses in the sugarcane farming industry costs approximately $2,500 per year.

Category List
Benefits
  • Liability protection in case of accidents
  • Coverage for physical damage to vehicles
  • Medical payments for those injured in insured vehicles
  • Coverage for uninsured/underinsured motorists
  • Replacement cost coverage for new vehicles
  • Coverage for trailers and farming equipment
Use Cases
  • Provide coverage for farm trucks used to transport harvested sugarcane to processing facilities
  • Cover liability in case an accident occurs while operating farm equipment on public roads to move between fields
  • Protect business assets by insuring vehicles used in daily farm operations and maintenance
  • Replace or repair specialized farm equipment like harvesters or planters involved in a covered accident

Based on research, the average price for commercial auto insurance for businesses in the sugarcane farming industry is approximately $2,500 per year. This pricing takes into account factors like the types of vehicles used (such as trucks), average miles driven, and the risk associated with operating farm equipment on public roads. The price was derived from insurance quote data specific to the NAICS 111930 industry code.

Estimated Pricing: $2,500

Workers Compensation Insurance

Workers compensation insurance provides valuable protection for both employees and employers in the sugarcane farming industry. Sugarcane farming involves risks from operating heavy machinery, working outdoors, and using sharp tools. This makes workers comp coverage especially important for these businesses. Workers comp helps ensure employees receive medical care and wage replacement if injured on the job without having to prove fault. It also protects businesses from expensive liability lawsuits. The estimated cost of workers comp insurance for sugarcane farming is around $3.50 per $100 of payroll.

Category List
Benefits
  • Cover medical expenses for work-related injuries and illnesses
  • Protect your business from lawsuits due to work-related injuries or illnesses
  • Comply with state laws requiring businesses to carry workers comp insurance
  • Provide lost wage replacement for injured employees
  • Help retain valuable employees by offering peace of mind and protection from job-related injuries
  • Reduce absenteeism related to on-the-job injuries
  • Deduct premium costs from income taxes as a business expense
Use Cases
  • Providing coverage for on-the-job injuries of employees working with heavy machinery and equipment
  • Covering medical expenses, lost wages, disability or death benefits for employees hurt while cutting, hauling or processing sugarcane
  • Protecting the business from expenses or lawsuits if an employee is injured due to unsafe work conditions or accidents

Based on national averages, the estimated workers compensation insurance pricing for businesses in the sugarcane farming industry with NAICS code 111930 is around $3.50 per $100 of payroll. This is calculated based on the industry risk level and average claims compared to other agriculture industries. Sugarcane farming has a higher than average risk level due to the use of heavy machinery and equipment for harvesting and transporting sugarcane.

Estimated Pricing: $3.50/$100 of payroll

Farm Equipment Insurance

Farm equipment represents a major investment for any sugarcane farming business. Proper insurance helps protect this investment from unexpected costs of damage, theft, or other losses and also ensures operations can continue smoothly when incidents do occur. It provides liability coverage for operators, living expenses if damages require relocation, and averages $15,000-$20,000 annually based on equipment types and values.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protect equipment from loss or damage due to accidents, disasters, theft or vandalism
  • Cover repair or replacement costs if equipment breaks down or needs repairs
  • Provide liability coverage if equipment causes harm to others or their property
  • Cover loss of income if equipment damage prevents harvesting or farming operations
  • Include additional living expenses if damage to equipment causes you to temporarily relocate
  • Peace of mind knowing your investment and livelihood is protected against unforeseen events
  • Coverage for young or inexperienced operators your business may hire to help during harvest seasons
Use Cases
  • Cover losses or damages to expensive machinery and harvesting equipment from accidents or failures
  • Protect from financial losses due to theft of valuable property like harvesting combines or tractors
  • Cover repair or replacement costs of equipment in the event of natural disasters like floods or hurricanes
  • Provide liability protection in the event employees are injured while operating machinery
  • Cover financial losses during downtime required for repairs after accidents or equipment failures

Based on industry data, the estimated average annual premium for farm equipment insurance for sugarcane farming businesses is around $15,000-$20,000. This pricing is derived based on the type of farm equipment used in sugarcane farming such as harvesters, tractors, etc. as well as the total insured value of all the equipment which is usually over $500,000. Location and loss history also impact the pricing.

Estimated Pricing: $15,000-$20,000

Business Interruption Insurance

Business interruption insurance provides important protection for sugarcane farming businesses against losses from unexpected interruptions to their operations. It covers lost income and expenses if events like natural disasters, fires or diseases force them to temporarily shut down. Some key benefits of business interruption insurance for sugarcane farms include covering ongoing expenses and employee wages during shutdowns, as well as future lost profits from extended disruptions. Common risks it protects against are crop damage or inability to harvest due to hurricanes, floods, drought, fires or employee illness. Pricing is estimated around 0.5-1% of annual revenues, or $10,000-$20,000 per year for a typical 200-acre farm.

Category List
Benefits
  • Provides coverage if business operations are interrupted due to property damage
  • Covers loss of income and ongoing expenses if the business must shut down temporarily
  • Protects cash flow and helps maintain financial stability during interruptions
  • Covers additional expenses to reduce losses from property damage or to continue operations elsewhere
  • Can help pay employees’ wages if business operations are temporarily stopped
  • Covers loss of future profits and revenue if the interruption extends beyond the immediate shutdown period
  • Coverage is tailored to the specific risks and needs of a sugarcane farming business
Use Cases
  • Loss of crop due to natural disasters like hurricanes, floods, drought
  • Damage to farm equipment and machinery due to natural disasters
  • Loss of crop due to fires on the farm
  • Inability to harvest crop due to employees falling ill from diseases

Based on typical pricing models, business interruption insurance for sugarcane farming businesses is estimated to be around 0.5-1% of annual revenues. Sugarcane farming revenues are typically around $10,000 per acre. With an average farm size of 200 acres, annual revenues would be approximately $2,000,000. 0.5-1% of $2,000,000 is $10,000-$20,000 per year for coverage.

Estimated Pricing: $10,000-$20,000 per year

Conclusion

Investing in the right business insurance tailored to a sugarcane farm’s unique exposures can help ensure financial security and peace of mind. Understanding available options allows business owners to make informed choices on coverage that effectively mitigates their risks and supports continued operations.

Frequently Asked Questions

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