Do you have liability insurance on your sugar camp?

[Bruce L]

Hi all, when we used to run a pancake house for 24 years, we always carried liability insurance for those that chose to stroll through the bush to see the operation in case someone slipped, tree branch etc. We no longer run a pancake house, so number of visitors has cut down a lot, but we still have people come in to see the evaporator boil, taste and buy syrup etc. I am just wondering about the need for insurance, but then again there are a lot of people out there just looking to make a big dishonest buck from someone trying to make an honest living?

[maple flats]

I couldn't afford to have any public on my property without liability insurance. Whether legit or not, any claim would cost you far too much, either to just defend, or pay expenses if the courts award a settlement to them.
I have liability, finished product, along with other coverages, (fire, equipment loss, loss of use, theft etc., even my inventory is insured ). It is quite reasonable. For example, when I was insured for 100 gal of syrup inventory and raised it to 400 gal it raised my premium $16/yr.
Do you realize that even if someone goes on your woods to do damage to your equipment or even steal some and they get hurt, you can be sued. Seems wrong, but your defense for one incident would cost you more than the insurance for the rest of your life.

[PerryFamily]

I got a price to insure all my equipment, sugarhouse and contents, all leased land and "recall" insurance is somrone got sick from my product, and general liability. The quote from Maine Mutual was $1100. I am pricing it around.

[maple flats]

Way too much. I have my insurance thru Farm Family. I started with them when the NYS Farm Bureau endorsed them, they now endorse Nationwide. I stayed with Farm Family after the change. I think the endorsements just mean that Farm Bureau gets a kickback. I have my homeowners, fire (I own a rental), auto, snowmobile, ATV, and the farm all thru them.

[Spanielslovesappin]

I just went through my first ever big insurance review last year and discovered that not only was i not really covered properly i was uncovered in some pretty key places. All the big players could help me but Farm Family was $2000 cheaper than anyone and the only one with a product liability system that made sense for my ops. They wrap your residence and all ag operations/equip. into one package. I use George Hafferden (SP?) he is in WNY but had a booth at Verona and was a great guy to deal with. Also he talks Maple.

[BreezyHill]

Bruce, you will need to do some checking. In NY state there is a Law called General Obligations Law. It simply states that you are not have to keep your property safe for uninvited persons. Example, a hunter walks across your property and injures his ankle on a rut. There was just such a case prior to the law and the hunter won. Now if you do not intentially mean to do harm you are not liable. Example, A Woods owner puts up a cable to stop unwanted vehicles across an opening. Person on motor cycle is injured when hits the cable. The cable was not installed to injury so the property owner is not liable. The addition of a length of pvc pipe and reflective material will show good intent and prove intent of the device to be seen.
Farm Family is a good source. It was started by Farm Bureau to provide insurance to our members. It was later sold to raise funds; while costing FB in the end.

It would be best to get a quote from company A and have company B look at the quote and provide their price for same coverage and what they would suggest you have. Their are several companies that are doing coverage in the ag field now. It is more important to have a good agent than company. Your agent is the guy that it will hurt the most when you leave for another source. I found this out first hand. The agent took care of me while the company wanted to cut their losses. In the end the case was thrown out and the company paid $0.00; while they want to settle for $15,000 of damage to a car my truck never touched. Cost me $750 in lawyer fees but no points on license or higher insurance premiums in the future.

Do your home work first as to what you need.

[BAP]

Bruce, Breezyhill is right, you need to do some checking. First, see what protection you have under laws for your area. Next, get together with and insurance agent that is knowledgeable with what you are trying to do. If the one you have now isn't, find another one. A good agent will be able to tell you what your current policy covers you for, and what you need or don't need to add to have proper coverage. Those are the two things you really need to do to be able make the decision. I doubt you have Farm Family in Canada, but maybe there is something similar.

[maple flats]

Uninvited guests are one thing, but at your sugarhouse they are not uninvited. Also, remember, in cases where you are not liable, they can still sue you and defending that will cost big in legal fees before it is thrown out. Without insurance those fees will likely put you out of business even if you are not liable.

[BreezyHill]

Flats is totally correct. It cost me $2000 to defend against a little old bi#ch that said I hit her car. The Cops wrote the ticket and the insurance agent wanted to see the truck that hit her. "You are standing in front of it" He laughed said no seriously. No joke...here is the ticket check the plate #. "There is no way this big truck put that tiny scratch on her car." It took four months of her not showing up for a judge to finally throw it out. But they would not consider a case to get back my costs since I could not prove I didn't do it. Come to find out it was a leased car and she owed over $10,000 in body damage due to her banging into her garage. Insurance would not cover the cost because they wanted to settle for the $1850 in damage. It was a principle thing. I didn't do it and was not willing to say otherwise.
Lesson well learned...sucks being wrong for all the right reasons!

[red maples]

Oh yes, First I am an LLC, which helps a little. then I have liability as well. that covers everything I sell from eggs, honey, maple products etc. my policy covers the sugarhouse, and all the equipment in it as well as any pumps, and tubing I have. So say my lines get struck by lightening I am cover to replace it. And it covers me from a person getting injured etc. if they are on my property for sugarhouse reasons. Which isn't covered by homeowners insurance. I personally Wouldn't operate without.

[AGR1093]

Lots of good info here - I am a farm insurance agent in Maine with a small Maple addiction : ) I make syrup and make sure to have liability coverage. Costs to defend are the biggest problem. It is pretty hard (read impossible) to compare costs especially across state lines. With Farm Family, Countryway and many others, the farm policy is for your home too, so to say $1100 is ridiculous is pretty hard - is your house insured for $100,000 or $300,000? Is that $500,000 of liability or $2,000,000? Also, most insurance companies base the rate at least partly on an Insurance Score which is essentially credit. You may get a much better rate if you have stellar credit.