Understanding Farmers Market Insurance

Farmers markets are the lifeblood of a community. They are spaces where we see people building bonds and making connections. These relationships are the foundation of your community.  Protecting your business with insurance for farmers markets and vendors is important. Knowing where to start can be overwhelming. In this post, we explain the different types of insurance and providers on the market today. We also discuss the importance of having insurance, and the consequences of not. Let’s get started.

 

Types of Insurance for Farmers Markets & Vendors

Understand the different types of farmers market insurance is important. You want to be certain you have the right policy in place to cover you in the event of an accident, injury, or illness.

General Liability Insurance for Farmers Markets. This protects your market from bodily injury and property damage claims. The claims regard the farmers market itself. Read more…

General and Product Liability Insurance for Farmers Market Vendors. This insurance protects against claims from bodily injury and property damage. It also protects you from liability caused by the products or goods you sell.  Read more…

 

Why is it Normally Required for Both Markets and Vendors to Have Insurance?

You may think that it’s unnecessary to need both the market and its vendors to be insured. Let’s break it down: 

Farmers markets generally don’t own the land where they hold their markets. Landowners need the market to provide liability insurance. They will also ask that you list them as an additional insured.  This protects both the market and the owner from potential lawsuits. 

This type of policy does not cover the vendor’s operation.  They, too, need liability insurance of their own. As a market lists the landowner as an additional insured, vendors do the same with the market. From the landowner all the way down to the vendor, everyone is covered from bodily injury, property damage, and product liability.

All interested parties involved should have a liability insurance policy in place.  This will prevent headaches and hassle in the future.

 

What are the Consequences of Not Having Insurance for Farmers Markets?

The consequences can be serious when you don’t have liability insurance. Without it, you bear full financial responsibility for claims such as:

  • Injuries or death
  • Property damage
  • Product liability
  • General negligence
  • Cost of investigation for claims
  • Court costs and attorney’s fees

Don’t wait until it’s too late and an incident occurs. At that point, the claim will not be eligible to submit. Protect your business and reputation with vendor liability insurance.

 

Not All Insurance Companies Are Alike

Not all insurance companies are alike. Be careful not to choose the wrong liability insurance. This can be detrimental to your business and can hinder your potential to grow. These are the types of bad investments that can have serious ramifications in the future. Cover all your bases and choose insurance from the right provider.

Admitted Insurance. With admitted insurance, the state (where your policy is underwritten) backs your policy. State funds guarantee your policy pays out. Moreover, this applies even in the event your provider goes out of business.

Non-Admitted Insurance. States do not guarantee non-admitted insurance policies. If your provider goes out of business, claims against your business may not payout. In an instant and without notice, you can lose all your invested premiums.  You can also lose the ability to file eligible claims.

When choosing an insurance carrier, make sure you choose one offering admitted insurance.

 

Protect Your Business Today…

Farmers markets are the lifeblood of America; vendors the lifeblood of markets. Insuring your farmers market operation ensures continued success. For more than 30 years, Campbell Risk Management has offered policies for liability insurance in all 50 states.  We offer the most comprehensive coverage on the market today. Get a free quote today or call us at (317) 848-9075. We can show you how Campbell Risk sets farmers markets and vendors up for success!

 

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