Hail insurance on OSR?

[Zan]

Who bothers to insure their OSR crops for hail storms? We have done in the last but can't decide if I should bother anymore?

 

[foxbox]

Each year we think about it, don't do it and then feel smug when we escape a good battering the week before harvest. I guess one year we'll get caught though and not feel as smug as a result; it's guessing which year will be "the one" though. (this year now I've typed that).

 

[Clive]

Who bothers to insure their OSR crops for hail storms? We have done in the last but can't decide if I should bother anymore?

we lost a really nice crop on 120ac a few year back, not insured, hurt at the time BUT it was the first time we would have had cause to claim in 25 plus yrs of OSR growing and 25 pus years of saved premiums more than covered the loss

 

[spikeislander]

yes i do.
Had one claim and some very close misses, I think once youve started you really need to keep going as the year you dont will no doubt be the year to get hit.
From memory it costs me a tonne of osr over my small acreage but have to insure the wheat for a deducted charge.

 

[franklin]

I was led to believe that you cannot find this as a "standalone" policy - the only way I could get it was as addition with the NFU which meant changing to a much dearer basic policy. Anyone know if this is still the case?

 

[Henery]

With Farmers Mercantile you can just add on at any time, not expensive at all.

 

[spikeislander]

I think as i said with f and m you have to insure all crops

 

[JACK F]

Started insuring it a few years ago and certainly gives you more piece of mind at harvest. No osr this year so not looking into prices at moment but was not that expensive. When looking at cost per ha if you had a disease that could wipe out your entire crop you would happily pay that money to spray it just in case. This is how I convinced myself it was worthwhile. That said I have not claimed back on yet.

 

[Banana Bar]

We had a massive hail storm on a contract farm last summer. Fortunately no osr but reduced spring barley yield from 7.7t/ha to 4.6, wheat from 9.7 to 8 and beans to almost nothing. Still not planning on insurance.

 

[Clive]

I was led to believe that you cannot find this as a "standalone" policy - the only way I could get it was as addition with the NFU which meant changing to a much dearer basic policy. Anyone know if this is still the case?

When we were still with NFU I was told you could only take policy out at renewal time and it was for a full year only

A while ago but I recall about £9/ac or ha maybe ?

 

[franklin]

I am not an F&M customer, but I will email them tomorrow and see if they offer a stand-alone and, if so, for what cost.

 

[Andrew K]

We got hit badly in 2007 and again in 2011, 115 and 140 acres respectively.
Had no insurance in the first instance, luckily were covered in 2011.[ F + M ]

If you have no debt or think you are not in a prone area, then you are more able to take the risk.

 

[DrWazzock]

We swath it now as it does protect it a bit. We lost a field completely thrashed out by hail about 5 years ago that was sprayed off. All gone in 5 minutes. Pretty awesome really but doesn't do to think about the loss. We insured for a couple of years but it added up and on balance of probabilities I don't think it was worth it long term. We insured through our broker up to 4 weeks before harvest as a stand alone item.