Learn about your potential liability exposures.

Like many farmers, you are planning to sell your crops at your local farmer’s market this season. How well does your current farm insurance program cover your liability exposure in that endeavor? Have you added retail exposure the farmer’s market? When selling your fruits, vegetables, meats, or jarred items at farm markets, you need to add this sales exposure to your policy. Having the adequate liability coverages on your policy can ensure you are protected in an unfortunate event.

Potential Claim scenarios

Imagine a strong wind coming through and knocking your display table over, causing bodily injury to a guest of the farmers market or a client of yours attending the farmer’s market.

Can’t imagine a table being blown into your guests while at the market? Ok, well how about food poisoning? Once you’ve sold your products, what happens if you don’t have coverage in place and one of your customers gets e. Coli, botulism, or other illness from your products? Products liability insurance will cover your risk of loss from a situation like this.

Without insurance, or the proper insurance you will be responsible for the potential financial losses incurred. This would include damages for bodily injury and property damage. In addition, you will incur legal expenses to defend yourself.  The general liability policy defends you and pays damages that you are legally liable for. This protection covers up to the amount of the policy limits for bodily injury or property damage, with an unlimited amount for defense costs*.

When claims are made against a farmer at the market, the claim may also be made against the farmer’s  market itself. The market is given some protection when you add them as an additional insured to your liability policy. Example you are watering vegetables and a slip and fall occurs where you watered. Both the Farmers Market and you are sued.  With the market listed as additional insured, your Insurance company will defend both you and the market.* Furthermore, most farmers markets require you to add them as an additional insured to your policy and provide them with a certificate of insurance to hold as proof.

*Subject to terms and conditions of your particular policy.

Using this knowledge of what you need, you can now protect yourself from the risks related to selling your products at farmers’ markets this summer. Should you have any questions about whether or not you are currently fully covered, contact Mike the Farm guy your Trusted Choice insurance advisor at Richey-Barrett Insurance in Westlake, Ohio today.