Are Agricultural Contractors insured on my Farm?

Agricultural contractors provide specialised, seasonal or temporary services to farmers. Some examples are fertilising, crop spraying, or harvesting. Many Farmer’s will avail of other professional’s services for these and other odd jobs on the farm or on the farmyard. And yes, they do need their own farmer insurance to carry out these duties.

An agricultural contractor is a professional in their own area and if you employ them to work on your land or farmyard it is your responsibility to check that they have the correct insurance in place before they carry out these services. Always do your due diligence and check they have the correct insurance, otherwise, it could lead to a lengthy and unfortunate legal battle further down the line.

Farming is a hard and time-consuming job and sometimes a farmer will need assistance if they do not have the specialised equipment for the job or if they simply need a few extra hands to complete a seasonal job. IF you are engaging the work of an agricultural contractor then we recommend you check they have the appropriate cover in place. We can work with you on this process by sending us their details and so we can check they have the appropriate cover in place. Sometimes a farmer needs a hand with a task or seasonal job and that is why we recommend including agricultural contracting as part of your policy. It’s better to have it as an option and be covered.

Let’s look at an example if you are moving cattle and ask a neighbour to assist by standing at an entrance to the field and they were to be injured as part of the process you could be liable. However, if you had agricultural contracting added to your insurance policy, this would ensure you were covered in the untimely event that the neighbour was injured. It is your responsibility to have the extension on your insurance policy because you are the party seeking the work to be completed. The onus lies with you the farmer in this instance.

So agricultural contractors does not cover all labourers. You will need employer’s liability insurance if you engage the services of people who might work on your land or farm on a regular basis. Two such examples might be voluntary help (they must be insured work on your land or farm too) and seasonal employees (such as vegetable pickers). You must insure and protect unpaid workers as well. An example here is a family who might give a helping hand. Good intentions are not insured under your insurance policy and you would want to make sure they are protected in the unfortunate event of a serious accident. It’s about protecting what matters, right! Employers’ liability insurance can cover the cost of compensation for your employee’s injuries which may have occurred while working on your land or farm. There are so many risks working in an open or closed environment. The most common injuries result from slips, trips, falls, a close encounter with livestock, and incidences with machinery. Ordinary members of the public and regular employees should be covered by your own farm insurance policy. But other farmers and professionals that have come to do or assist with a specific task will need their own Agri-contract insurance policy.

We get asked if this applies to a small farmer with one employee and the odd family member giving a hand when needed. The answer is yes.  In addition to this, the Health and Safety Authority states that every farmer is required by law to prepare a safety statement and share it with his/her employees. *The 2005 Act allows employers (including farmers) with three or fewer employees to comply with the terms of a Code of Practice as an alternative to preparing a Safety Statement. * https://www.hsa.ie/eng/Your_Industry/Agriculture_Forestry/Agricultural_FAQ’s

At Sheridan Insurances we have been supporting Farmers for more than 40 years. Helping Farmers and agricultural Contractors secure the right insurance for their needs. Why not give our team of Farm Insurance Broker Experts a call or request a call back at a time that is convenient for you.

Get in touch with a member of our team by scheduling a callback at a time that suits you. Alternatively, if you are in a hurry get a Quick Quote now.