Are My Corn Crops Protected by My Illinois Homeowners Insurance Policy?

Are My Corn Crops Protected by My Illinois Homeowners Insurance Policy?

Age of technology or not, without today's farmers and agricultural specialists our food supply would be dwindling at an alarming rate. For the average American, a farm is a place that food comes form; for an Illinois farmer watching his (or her!) corn crop begin to bud and grow it's so much more than that. It's the bread and butter that keeps a roof over their heads and a way of life they couldn't walk away from if they tried. Unfortunately, that way of life is a fragile one. One bad year, fire, flood or drought, and they can lose it all. That's why buying crop insurance should be a part of every farmer's standard operating procedure.

The question is, are those corn crops covered by their Illinois homeowners insurance policy?

Normally the answer would be no. The purpose of a homeowners insurance policy is to protect your home and your belongings against fire, burglars and rampant neighbors who don't have the sense to know that skateboarding down the staircase railing of a 200 year old farmhouse is almost always a bad idea. It's not there to protect the land. In fact, most Illinois homeowners insurance providers recommend that you don't include the price of your land when you're buying a homeowners insurance policy. The average person isn't going to pay to protect their grass. The average corn farmer, on the other hand, has a much deeper stake.

The good news is that some Illinois homeowners insurance providers also offer crop insurance as part of their policy options. That crop insurance will protect your crops against hail and fire, so if Mother Nature decides to help herself to your annual yield you're going to be protected. Further coverage is going to depend on the homeowners insurance provider. It up to you and your insurance agent to hammer out the details.

The even better news is that even if your Illinois homeowners insurance provider won't extend their coverage to protect your crops you still have plenty of other options to help curb the risk. The Crop Insurance Research Bureau is a collection of national insurance providers that work hand in hand to offer crop insurance to America's farmers, and multiple resources are available by visiting the USDA's Risk Management Agency. Here at QuoteScout we specialize in providing our farmers with the resources they need to explore their Illinois auto and homeowners insurance options to guarantee that tractors, trucks and houses are protected against whatever Mother Nature decides to throw their way. These agencies can help you make the most of that coverage while showing you how to protect your crops without breaking your budget.

Speaking of the USDA, if you've already been the victim of a disaster that your crop insurance didn't cover you might want to look into the options available through the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program. This program is the FEMA of uninsurable crops, helping you get back on your feet as quickly as possible and your farm get back in the business of keeping the agricultural industry alive.

Your Illinois homeowners insurance probably won't give you the coverage you need to keep your crops protected, but that doesn't mean they can't point you in the right direction. Contact your insurance agent today with any further questions regarding your crop insurance.

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• Are My Corn Crops Protected by My Illinois Homeowners Insurance Policy? - May 15, 2009 - 11:51:40 AM