Farm & Ranch Insurance
Farm & Ranch Insurance for Evolving Agricultural Operations
Stroud National Agency, Inc. gives independent agents access to both admitted and non-admitted farm and ranch markets, so more of your accounts can find the right fit.
Farm and ranch operations rarely remain static. Acreage can be added or leased, ownership structures may change, new sources of revenue can develop, and seasonal or supplemental activities can alter the overall character of an account. Understanding how the operation functions today is an important part of developing an accurate insurance submission.
For independent agents, providing a complete picture of the risk can help streamline the underwriting process. Information about the operation’s history, land use, ownership or tenancy, prior losses, seasonal activity, business relationships, and recent changes gives underwriters better context when evaluating an agricultural account.
Our Farm & Ranch Markets
Our admitted markets, led by Travelers Agribusiness, our farm and ranch partner for 22 years, fit most standard farm and ranch operations, while ARU’s non-admitted flexibility helps place accounts that admitted carriers aren’t positioned to write. Our underwriters can help you decide where each account belongs.
| Markets | Type | Often a Good Fit For |
|---|---|---|
| Travelers Agribusiness and Liberty Mutual | Admitted | Standard farm and ranch operations, including hobby farms with genuine ag exposure |
| ARU | Non-admitted | Higher-hazard livestock such as poultry, hog confinement, dairy, and equine; accounts with prior losses, cancellations, or lapses in coverage; and older or unusual construction |
With Travelers Agribusiness and Liberty Mutual, farm auto can be written alongside a farm and ranch policy, and we can add an excess policy over both policies when the underlying farm policy is written with us.
Our appetite includes:
- Small hobby farms
- Wineries / Vineyards
- Off-premises ATV liability
- Barndominiums
- Hay operations
- Training & boarding
- Grain and other field crop farms
- Vegetable, fruit and nut operations
- Stable liability
- Cattle operations
- Beekeepers
Coverages we offer include:
- Farm Dwelling
- Tack
- Private Structures
- ATV/UTV
- Household Personal Property
- Tractors and Combines
- Farm Personal Property
- Cotton Strippers
- Barns and Outbuildings
- Animal collision
- Liability
- Care, custody and control
Eligibility Quick Facts:
- Ag exposure required
- PPC 10 considered
- Texas Hurricane Tiers 1 and 2 excluded
- $1M+ dwellings with central alarm requirements
- New application and photos at least every 5 years
- Our FAQs Can help!
Have Questions About Farm & Ranch Insurance?
What is “ag exposure” and why is it important for a property to have that kind of exposure in order to qualify for a farm and ranch policy with Stroud National?
Having an agricultural (ag) exposure is important for qualifying for a farm and ranch insurance policy because these policies are designed to address risks associated with agricultural operations.
Ag exposure refers to activities or assets connected to farming or ranching, such as crop production, livestock, equipment, or farm structures.
Without an ag exposure, a property may not qualify for this specialized coverage because it does not have the operational risks farm and ranch insurance is intended to address.
What is the difference between a barndominium (barndo) and a dwelling? Can Stroud National insure a barndo?
Yes, we can typically consider barndominiums for coverage.
Several factors determine whether a building can be rated as a dwelling or as a barndo. If the living space represents 50% or more of the building’s total square footage, it can generally be rated as a dwelling. What is stored or kept in the non-living portion of the building also matters.
If hay or feed is stored in the building, it must be rated as an outbuilding regardless of how much of the structure is dedicated to living space.
It is also important to know whether a firewall separates the living space from the remainder of the building.
If the building is rated as a barndo, a cosmetic damage exclusion will apply and contents will be listed separately.
What is a hobby farm and can Stroud National insure them?
A hobby farm is a small-scale agricultural property operated primarily for personal satisfaction or lifestyle rather than as the owner’s primary source of income.
Stroud National Agency, Inc. can consider hobby farms for coverage with Travelers Agribusiness, Liberty Mutual, and ARU, including properties with barndominiums and high-value farm dwellings.
There must still be a genuine agricultural exposure, such as livestock ownership, crop production, or land leased for agricultural use. The property must have ongoing farm or ranch activity beyond simply being located in a rural area.
If you have questions about whether a particular hobby farm is eligible, please reach out to us for guidance.
Can Stroud National still help if a client's prior farm policy was cancelled or non-renewed?
Often, yes. ARU, our non-admitted farm and ranch partner, provides additional flexibility for hard-to-insure risks, including accounts with prior losses or lapses in coverage.
A cancellation or non-renewal with another carrier does not automatically mean the account will be declined by Stroud National.
We encourage agents to submit the account for review rather than assume it is outside appetite. Contact us or start a quote and we’ll help determine where the account may fit.
What can I do to help speed up my farm and ranch quote request?
The single biggest thing that helps speed up a quote is clarity. A vague submission leaves underwriting with unanswered questions and can slow the process.
A few things worth confirming before you submit:
- Describe operations clearly. Explain what is actually happening on the property day to day.
- Detail the property fully. Include dwellings, outbuildings, and equipment rather than only a summary.
- Flag liability-driving activity up front. Include livestock, custom work, public events, and other activities that affect the exposure.
- Spell out vehicle use. Explain what vehicles are on the property and how they are used.
- Identify additional business activity. Explain what is sold, how often, and at what scale, along with leased land, custom work, or side operations.
Our quoting platforms and supplemental questionnaires are available on our Agent Tools page and are designed to help agents gather this information before submitting. A complete and organized submission allows underwriting to evaluate the account more efficiently.
Helping Agents Build Stronger Farm & Ranch Submissions
A new-business submission or renewal is a good opportunity to review how a farm or ranch has changed since the previous policy period. Expansion, changes in acreage, updated ownership arrangements, or shifts in how the property is used may all affect the information an underwriter needs to evaluate the account. Keeping us current on those changes helps make sure the policy reflects how the operation runs today.
If you’re unsure whether a new account has enough ag exposure or which market suits it best, our underwriters are glad to help you prescreen it before you submit.
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