Farm Insurance

We help local farmers find the farm insurance coverage they need to help their business succeed in Guelph, Elora, Fergus, and Shelburne.

At the Ostic Group, we know that every farm has different needs, depending on whether you are raising livestock, growing crops, or something in between. We don’t believe in a one size fits all approach to farming insurance coverage — this is why we offer a selection of policies designed to help your farming operation by covering exactly what you need.

Our team will help you create a policy that provides peace of mind and lets you get back to what matters — running a safe and successful farm. See below for more information on the different types of farmers’ insurance, as well as discounts and additional coverage available.

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Farm Insurance Programs

At The Ostic Group, we have farm insurance programs designed to meet the insurance needs of farms with various types of activities and operations including, but not limited to, the options below:

Farm Insurance Policies & Packages

A Farm Insurance Policy can provide insurance coverage to protect the farmer against the following situations:

  • Damage to the dwelling and personal property of the farmer and his family
  • Damage or loss to property or assets owned by the farm
  • Resulting financial loss caused by the disruption of the farming activity due to damage to property or assets
  • Acts of crime that results in damage to property or the loss of assets
  • Financial loss should you be sued because of property damage, injuries, or death caused by your services, products, business operations, or your employees.

Custom Farm Insurance

We can offer insurance protection for custom farming operations that will provide coverage for machinery, including Loss of Use and Liability Protection against claims for damage to property, persons, and the environment as result of custom farming activities. Your package can be tailored to the needs of your specific farm, including coverage for:

  • Planting
  • Harvesting
  • Tillage
  • Swathing
  • Corn harvesting
  • Combining
  • Baling
  • Spraying
  • Farm work done for others
  • And more

Farm Owner’s Package Policy

At The Ostic Group, our Farm Owner’s Package Policy is designed to cover the usual property and liability exposures associated with farming. These include the dwelling, personal contents, premises and personal liability protection for members of the immediate family of the farmer.

A Farm Owner’s Package will include coverage for Farm Outbuildings, Farm Machinery & Equipment, Farm Produce, Farm Livestock, and Business Interruption protection in the event of an insured loss.

Farm Liability Insurance

Personal And Farm Liability

Public liability provides protection for an insured for claims arising out of unintentional bodily injury of another person or loss or damage to the property of others as a result of the insured’s negligent activities arising from personal pursuits of the insured or the insured’s farming operations.

  • Coverage for bodily injury or property damage claims arising out of the sale of farm products
  • Coverage for bodily injury or property damage claims arising out of completed operations of the insured away from the farm premises
  • Coverage for bodily injury or property damage claims arising from the operation of up to three self-propelled farm vehicles
  • Coverage can be extended to additional owned or rented locations including vacant farmland
  • Coverage can be extended to cover other farm income producing activities including but not limited to:
  • Farm Produce
  • Pick Your Own (Ground Crop) (e.g. strawberries, peas)
  • Pick Your Own (non-Ground Crop) (e.g. apples, pears)
  • Sale from Roadside Stands or Market Stalls
  • Custom Farm Work
  • Custom Spraying
  • Dog Kennels or Pet Boarding
  • Horse Boarding Stables
  • Hay or Sleigh Rides
  • Welding & Machinery Repair
  • Corn Dryer Operation
  • Bed & Breakfast service
  • Receptions and Social events
  • Rented Dwellings or Land

Limited Pollution Liability

Protects the farmer, who qualifies for the coverage, against liability arising from sudden and accidental pollution incidents that cause bodily injury property damage and clean-up costs, subject to the terms and conditions of the policy wording.

Non-Owned Auto Liability

The Non-Owned Auto policy provides coverage for loss or damage arising from the use or operation of any automobile not owned in whole or in part by or licensed in your name. The purpose of the Non-Owned Automobile Policy is to protect you as an employer when employees operate vehicles not owned by the employer on behalf of the employer. If you have employees you should consider a Non-Owned Automobile extension to your liability insurance coverage, since you could be sued whenever an employee has an automobile accident while on farm business in their own vehicle.

Umbrella Liability

Umbrella Liability Is a special form of liability policy designed to protect you for certain unknown contingencies over and above the normal coverages and to provide excess insurance. This policy will only usually respond if your primary Farm General Liability Policy limit is insufficient to pay the judgment or the policy does not provide protection for the action you are being sued for. Please contact us to review your policy limits and potential liability exposures and your possible need for an Umbrella Liability Insurance Policy.

Business Interruption

This coverage will apply in the event your farming activity is unable to continue as the result of an insured loss to your farm buildings or livestock. The purpose of the coverage is to cover all or a portion of your lost earnings caused by the insured peril.

Extra Expense Coverage

This coverage is designed for the farmer that must remain operational during the period affected by damage caused by the insured loss. Extra expenses may be incurred if you have to carry on business at another location (e.g. barn rental, equipment rental, transportation costs).

Farm Livestock Insurance

Farm livestock includes all animals held for sale or use in the farm operation. These can include horsesbeef cattledairy cattlehogspoultry, sheep, goats, or other types of livestock. Farm livestock can be insured on a blanket basis with a limit of coverage applied to the entire herd. A maximum amount payable defined for any one animal and/or individual animals can also be scheduled with an assigned amount of coverage supported by a valuation appraisal.

Extended Coverage Options

Coverage can be extended to protect against loss caused by hardware, animal birth, bloating (commonly known as frothy bloat), physical injury to animals causing death or destruction, and rabies (in excess of government payments).

Veterinary Or Roundup Expenses

We can offer protection for the opportunity to recover veterinarian expenses incurred when the insured livestock are injured, but do not die or require destruction. This coverage can only be offered for horses and cattle. In addition, coverage can be purchased for the expenses necessarily incurred for the roundup of escaped livestock from the farm premises.

Heat Prostration & Live Mortality Coverage

Heat prostration coverage can be purchased for confined livestock. This would be used in the event of their death due to changes in temperature or atmospheric conditions as a result of the insured perils causing physical damage to the heating or ventilating system and the apparatus supplying power to those systems.

Livestock mortality coverage is available as well. but is usually limited to individual animals that have a high value due to their rarity or breeding pedigree.

Milk Contamination Coverage

An extension of coverage can be purchased for the value of milk originating from the insured’s premises that is condemned by the Ontario Milk Marketing Board as a result of contamination by animal medications, presence of a cleaning solution, or failure to activate the bulk milk cooling tank.

Semen And/Or Embryo Tank Coverage

An extension of coverage can be purchased for value of livestock semen, embryos, or refrigeration tanks on all risks basis subject to policy wordings. This coverage would include losses caused by changes in temperature due to the escape of liquid nitrogen from the tank in which the semen and/or embryos are stored.

Farm Produce Insurance

Farm produce includes anything that is a product of the soil, including harvested crops such as hay, straw, grain, corn, beans, vegetables, as well as milk and eggs. Farm produce includes commercial feeds, fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and unharvested crops in the field that are damaged by fire with a limitation of coverage per acre (as defined in this policy). Specific policies are available for organic produce.

Farm Property Insurance

Farm property covers any commercial structures on your farm, such as barns, machinery sheds, silos, granaries, feed bins, and similar. It also includes self-propelled farm equipment (tractors and harvesting equipment); barn equipment for milking, feeding, ventilation, and heating; and farm implements and equipment for tilling, planting, spraying, and manure handling.

Personal Property Insurance

Personal property coverage includes all personal property owned by the homeowner and his immediate family. There are limitations within most homeowners policies for damage or loss to personal property including, but not limited to, cash, securities, jewelry, furs, collectables, and watercraft. Further, business property that is kept at the dwelling will also have a limitation of coverage. This coverage can also be extended to students away at school.

Farm Dwelling Insurance

Dwelling(s) on the farm property are those that are occupied by the farmer and his family. Other dwellings including rented dwelling & employee residence the farm property can also be protected on this policy.

Farm Outbuilding Insurance

Insurance for farm outbuildings covers buildings on the farm property including barns, sheds, grain bins, feed tanks, silos, and tarp building. This policy is subject to conditions, as farm outbuildings can be insured on a full building replacement cost basis, however, most farm outbuildings will be subject to a Rebuilding Clause. This clause restricts payment to 50% of the amount payable at the time of the loss. Subsequent payments up to the limit of coverage are made when repair or replacement of the damage structure is complete.

Loss Of Use

Coverage can be purchased to protect against the loss of use because your building is unsuitable for regular activity after an insured loss occurs.

Farm Machinery Insurance

Farm machinery includes farm tools, machinery and implements common to the operation of a farm, while in use for agricultural purposes.

Items of farm machinery and equipment can be individually scheduled on your policy or you can, with some limitations, purchase a blanket limit of coverage for a class of equipment.

Farm Vehicle Insurance

Self-propelled farm vehicles such as tractors, combines, and any other mobile farm implement used in the business of farming are included in the category of farm machinery.

Farm Equipment Insurance

Stationary equipment such as feeding and milking systems, silo unloaders, manure handling system and electrical equipment are also included in the farm machinery category.

Renewable Energy Systems

Renewable energy systems such as solar, wind, micro-hydro, and anaerobic digestive systems can be insured for loss or damage to the equipment including mechanical breakdown, loss of income due to an insured loss, and liability insurance protection, if the power generated by the systems will typically be sold to the hydro grid.

Mechanical Breakdowns

Mechanical breakdown insurance covers equipment such as boilers, other fired or unfired pressure vessels, and mechanical or electrical equipment used for generation, transmission or utilization of electrical power. Coverage is provided for both damage to the insured equipment, as well as other insured property that is damaged by the breakdown of the equipment.

What Our Customers Have to Say

My family and I have used the Ostic Group for years now and its been a great experience!Never difficult to speak with someone when I have a question and they are always looking for ways to save us money.Love seeing them give back to the community too!
Matt McQuade
Matt McQuade
18:03 26 Aug 20
When it comes to insurance, it doesn't get any better than these folks. Super responsive, very friendly, always trying to help, and unbelievable rates. They insure everything for my family and my business and they are awesome. Local, real people, no call centre's, just good old fashioned customer service with a smile! Keep it up. Ostic Group, seriously, you never cease to amaze. Oh ya and Dana is amazing!!!!
Rob Murray
Rob Murray
21:45 11 Jan 20
I have dealt with OSTIC for years. They never miss a beat. Good old, fast, friendly, professional service. 🙂
Stefan Wiesen
Stefan Wiesen
16:54 05 Nov 20
I have used The ostic group over 10 years. I find they are very knowledgeable and there to help. I will stay with them for years to come.
Linda Goodyear
Linda Goodyear
12:42 17 Jan 21
I recently purchased my first car and needed insurance. My friend referred me to The Ostic Group and I am so happy they did. Jessica Dewey was so helpful and went out of her way to get insurance for me, even offering to stay late on a Friday to get the paperwork filled out! Being a first time car owner, I didn't know where to start or what was the best plan for me. Jessica was very informative and made me feel very comfortable throughout the application process. Highly recommend!
Melanie Bartlett
Melanie Bartlett
14:34 26 Oct 16
I've recently received home & life insurance from The Ostic Group and have been very pleased. I'll be completely open on this review in saying that they are a client of where I work, but this did not sway my decision.Jessica Flanjak and The Ostic Group team were helpful while presenting my options. Jessica made it a simple and delightful process. I feel very good about my decision and will be switching my auto insurance over to The Ostic Group as well.
James Burgie
James Burgie
14:05 17 May 17
This whole team is incredible to work with. They not only have a massive focus on giving back to the community, but they are all passionate about insurance and making sure their clients have the right coverage. The Ostic Group insures my business, my house, and my car and in every interaction they always go above and beyond. Keep up the amazing work, we are lucky to have a business like yours in our community!
Paul Demarco
Paul Demarco
01:51 28 Oct 16
The team at the Ostic Group are all amazing to work with! Quick responses, fair quotes and a friendly staff that know their stuff, the Ostic Group should be considered by all when looking at Insurance needs. Jessica Flanjak was a huge help when I was looking for home and auto insurance and her willingness to help in any way possible made my experience with them too-notch! Keep up the great work - would highly recommend.
Ryan Vielma
Ryan Vielma
17:11 25 Oct 18
After meeting Jessica Dewey on a happenstance years ago, I have always turned to her for insurance advice as I know she has always had her client's best interests in mind. When I switched brokers to Ostic Insurance, it was the best decision I have made as Jessica always notifies me of changes in my policy, and works dilligently to get me the best insurance coverage at the best rate possible. She is always there to answer any questions I have in a pleasant, professional manner, and I am delighted to not only refer to her as my insurance broker but also as a friend.
Allison Mammoliti
Allison Mammoliti
13:14 20 Mar 23
I am very satisfied and happy with my broker at the Ostic. Very professional.
michael Park
michael Park
15:34 20 Mar 23
Jessica Dewey has provided excellent service for my home, auto and travel insurance needs. I highly recommend her and the team at Ostic!
D Drake
D Drake
19:03 17 Mar 23
Jessica Dewey has always been a great help with all of my insurance needs. Thanks for all the great work!
cullen202
cullen202
13:35 17 Mar 23
Always had great experience with our broker, Jess! She's found us the cheapest rates every year for over a decade! Will never use another insurance broker
Simon Ko
Simon Ko
01:25 18 Mar 23
Hello,Jessica Dewey most definitely deserves five stars. My wife Nancy and I recently purchased a home in the Village by the Arboretum. When we contacted Jessica to obtain insurance coverage she was extremely helpful in every way. She provided mutiple options and thoroughly explained all of the need-to-know details. Jessica clearly cares about her clients and it shows in her professional, efficient and friendly manner. It is a pleasure to know and work with Jessica..............thanks!☺Ron and Nancy Hansen
Ron Hansen
Ron Hansen
18:48 17 Mar 23
Very friendly. Quick turn around for responses to any questions you may have. Always finding the best insurance and cost for your needs. Highly recommend this company and to deal with Lisa Robertson.
Nicole Self
Nicole Self
20:10 17 Mar 23
I have been a customer of Ostic Group Insurance for several years now, and I have nothing but great things to say about them. As a local company, they really care about their customers and go above and beyond to make sure they find the best insurance product for your needs.Working with Lisa Robertson has been an absolute pleasure. She is incredibly knowledgeable, professional, and dedicated to ensuring that her customers are satisfied. I have always felt valued as a customer, and I appreciate the personalized attention that I have received.Overall, I highly recommend Ostic Group Insurance to anyone looking for excellent service and great insurance options. Thank you for all that you do!
Robert Mitchell
Robert Mitchell
01:12 27 Mar 23
I have received amazing customer service with Ostic Insurance for over 10 years. Jessica Dewey has always done a great job finding me the best rates. She is always cheerful and a pleasure to chat with. I highly recommend Ostic to my friends and family.
Steven Keenan
Steven Keenan
20:55 27 Mar 23
Our family has been dealing with OSTIC insurance for nearly 35 years. When we had the misfortune of experiencing a car accident a number of years ago, our agent Lisa, was exceptionally courteous, helpful, knowledgeable, and prompt in dealing with our many questions and eventual car replacement. If Lisa doesn’t have a “quick answer” to any of our questions, she is very thorough in her investigation, and usually responds within 24 hours! Hats off to Lisa, and the other wonderful staff, at OSTIC insurance in Guelph.
Mary Bickley
Mary Bickley
15:15 04 Apr 23
My experience with The Ostic Group Insurance was and continues to be an outstanding service to my insurance needs. Jessica Dewey gave my business and home needs the utmost care as she packaged everything together in a professional way. I am very happy with the continued communication from her team. Thank you Jessica!
Barry Bauman
Barry Bauman
18:38 17 Mar 23
Been a customer for almost 35 years now (Guess that alone ages me!!)Never a problem with any of the staff really. The odd thing is missed or is incorrect. However, they are quick to fix anything you need.My regular agent went off on maternity if my memory serves me correctly, and lately, I have been working with James. He has gone above and beyond and is relatively quick at resolving inconsistencies.We would and have recommended Ostic to others.Take care everyone at Ostic!R. LOWE
Rebecca Lowe
Rebecca Lowe
19:40 02 May 23
The greatest experience and best decision I’ve ever made when my husband and I switched to Ostic Group in 2016. I directly deal with Lisa Robertson. She always has our best interest at heart, and she is always so wonderful and friendly to deal with!! Thanks again Lisa for the amazing customer Service!
Natalie Brimblecombe
Natalie Brimblecombe
21:36 17 Mar 23
I have used the Ostic Group for a while now and recently got assigned to Mikayla. What can I say, she makes insurance easy! Yes you heard me, insurance and easy in the same sentance. I would never go back to a traditional insurance company again, go see Ostic and hope you get the awesome Mikayla.
J Robinson
J Robinson
18:52 26 Jul 23
I have been with Ostic Group insurance for quite a few years for both my personal and business needs. Lisa, Julie and anyone else I’ve dealt with have always been great, prompt in responses and very knowledgeable in their industry. Would highly recommend!! Thumbs up to a great team! Thanks gals!
Diana Gatto
Diana Gatto
17:18 23 Mar 23
Jessica D. and everyone at the Ostic Group has been phenomenal to work with over the past 6 years. I have never, not for a moment, worried about whether I have the best car and home insurance coverage! Highly recommend!
Cassandra Hammond
Cassandra Hammond
02:33 03 Apr 23
We’ve been dealing with Ostic for about 10 years now. In fact, we’ve recently moved our house insurance over to them also, because they are so great to deal with! Thank you, Jessica Dewey, for always answering our questions promptly and professionally. This is very much appreciated!
Mary Piper
Mary Piper
16:01 17 Mar 23