Farm Insurance Claims Ireland

How to Make A Farm Insurance Claim

1. Make the property and any livestock safe. Stop secondary loss before everything else.
2. Photograph and video the damage. Buildings, machinery, stock, livestock losses, fencing, surrounding land.
3. Notify the insurer of every affected section of cover. Buildings, contents, machinery, stock, livestock, business interruption, public liability where relevant.
4. Engage emergency services where required. Veterinary care, fire brigade, contractors for make-safe.
5. Engage a loss assessor. The loss adjuster typically represents the insurer across all sections; multi-section farm claims are particularly prone to under-settlement.
6. Compile financial and operational records. Herd numbers, stock counts, milk records, plant inventories, accounts.
7. Document the consequential loss. Lost milk yield, lost grazing capacity, additional feed costs, contracted-out work.
8. Prepare the claim across each section.
9. Apply for interim payments where the policy permits.
10. Negotiate the integrated settlement.

Remember, farm policies are complex and inter-connected. Each section has its own basis of valuation. The integrated claim is what wins farm settlements.

What is considered a farm insurance claim?

A farm insurance claim is presented under whichever sections of the farm policy are engaged. Most farm policies include buildings, contents, machinery and plant, livestock, stock, public liability, and business interruption. The claim engages every section where loss occurred.

Common farm insurance claim scenarios

• Storm damage to sheds, slatted houses, milking parlours, or grain stores
• Fire damage to farm buildings, hay or straw sheds, machinery
• Lightning damage to electrical systems and milking equipment
• Flood damage to land, fencing, and ground-floor buildings
• Livestock losses from accident, disease, or fire
• Theft of machinery, fuel, or stock
• Damage to slurry handling, water systems, fencing
• Crop loss where cover applies
• Public liability incidents involving the public on farm land

Does insurance cover farm losses?

Each section of a farm policy has its own conditions. Common refusal grounds:

• Maintenance. Insurers contest claims where the building or machinery shows lack of maintenance.
• Sums insured. Farm policies are often under-insured; average clauses can reduce settlements.
• Veterinary records. Livestock claims need clean records.
• Fencing and security. Theft claims often turn on whether reasonable security was in place.
• Defined sub-limits. Each category of stock or plant may have its own cap.

How N.J. Carroll & Associates Can Help

We are one of Ireland’s most experienced loss-assessing firms, established 1988, regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. We act as the farmer’s representative throughout. We take the stress and worry off your hands. We ensure that you receive your full entitlement across every section of the policy. We are wholly independent and committed to your interests alone.

Our standard fee is 8% plus VAT of the total settlement, no-win, no-fee. The initial consultation is free.

If your farm has been affected by an insured loss, please do not hesitate to contact us today. For related claim types, see fire damage claims, storm damage claims, and business interruption claims. We serve every Irish county; reach the team via loss assessors Dublin.

N.J. Carroll & Associates Ltd are regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Our Financial Regulator Certificate number is C41330. Niall Carroll is a member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. We are also a member of the Irish Claims Consultants Association.

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