Harvest can put nearly every tractor, combine, grain cart, and piece of supporting equipment into service at the same time. Before the long days begin, Northwest Ohio farmers should confirm that their machinery list is current and that their farm insurance reflects how the equipment is owned, valued, and used.
Farm equipment insurance may help protect scheduled machinery against certain covered losses, but coverage varies by policy. Equipment that was recently purchased, borrowed from a neighbor, rented for the season, or used for custom farming may require special attention. Use this checklist to prepare for a detailed conversation with your licensed insurance advisor.
1. Create an Up-to-Date Equipment Schedule
Start with a complete inventory of the machinery used in your operation. Depending on the policy, equipment may be insured individually on a schedule, under a blanket limit, or through a combination of the two.
Record the following information for each item:
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Equipment type
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Make and model
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Model year
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Serial number
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Purchase date
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Purchase price
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Current estimated value
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Loan or lease information
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Permanently attached tools or accessories
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Recent upgrades or major repairs
Include tractors, combines, heads, grain carts, planters, tillage equipment, skid loaders, sprayers, wagons, generators, and other valuable machinery. Keep photographs, purchase documents, loan records, and maintenance information with the schedule.
An accurate list helps your insurance advisor identify missing equipment, outdated values, and potential gaps before a loss occurs.
2. Identify Owned, Leased, Rented, and Borrowed Equipment
Do not assume every machine used during harvest is automatically covered by your farm policy. The answer may depend on who owns the equipment, the rental or lease agreement, and the language in your policy.
Discuss any machinery that is:
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Owned by the farm
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Financed or leased
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Rented for a few days or for the harvest season
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Borrowed from a neighbor or family member
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Loaned to someone else
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Used through an equipment-sharing arrangement
A rental or lease contract may assign responsibility for physical damage, theft, transportation, or loss of use. Your insurance advisor should review these arrangements before the equipment goes into service.
If another party has a financial interest in a machine, confirm whether that lender or lessor is properly identified on the policy when required.
3. Review Where and How the Machinery Is Used
Farm machinery rarely stays in one location during harvest. Equipment may move between fields, travel on public roads, remain overnight away from the primary farm, or be used on property belonging to someone else.
Confirm how the policy addresses:
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Equipment temporarily away from the insured premises
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Machinery transported on a trailer
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Travel between fields on public roads
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Equipment stored at another location
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Machinery used on rented ground
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Work performed for another farm
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Equipment operated by employees or other permitted drivers
Physical damage coverage for the machine and liability protection arising from its operation are separate questions. For example, coverage for damage to a tractor does not necessarily answer how the policy would respond if that tractor were involved in an accident on a public road.
This is especially important in Northwest Ohio, where moving slow-moving equipment between fields is a routine part of harvest.
4. Ask Which Causes of Loss Are Covered
Farm equipment insurance does not cover every type of damage. Review the policy’s covered causes of loss, exclusions, conditions, and endorsements with your advisor.
Ask specifically how the policy could respond to:
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Collision with another vehicle or object
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Overturn
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Fire
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Theft or vandalism
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Wind or hail
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Falling objects
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Glass breakage
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Flood or surface water
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Transportation accidents
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Damage while loading or unloading
Coverage depends on the policy and the facts surrounding the loss. Normal wear, deterioration, corrosion, faulty maintenance, and gradual mechanical problems are commonly treated differently from sudden direct physical damage.
Also ask whether cab glass, tires, tracks, batteries, and other components are subject to special limitations or deductibles.
5. Separate Equipment Breakdown From Property Damage
A mechanical or electrical failure is not necessarily covered in the same way as damage caused by a fire, collision, or windstorm.
Equipment breakdown coverage may address certain sudden mechanical, electrical, or pressure-system failures, subject to policy definitions and exclusions. It generally is not a substitute for routine maintenance and may not cover deterioration or ordinary wear.
Farmers should also ask about foreign-object ingestion. A rock or other object entering a combine, chopper, or similar machine may cause extensive internal damage, but this exposure is not automatically covered by every farm policy.
Review whether your operation needs coverage for:
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Mechanical or electrical breakdown
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Foreign-object ingestion
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Contamination of harvested products
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Expediting repair costs
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Temporary or substitute equipment
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Lost income or additional operating expenses following a covered loss
The exact protection available will depend on the insurer and the coverage selected.
6. Include Attachments, GPS Equipment, and Electronics
The value of a farm machine may extend well beyond the base unit. Heads, loaders, precision-agriculture systems, monitors, receivers, and other attachments can represent a substantial investment.
Confirm whether the following items are included in the machine’s insured value or must be listed separately:
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Combine heads
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Front-end loaders
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Guidance and steering systems
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GPS receivers
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Yield monitors
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Displays and control modules
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Mounted toolboxes
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Portable electronics
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Aftermarket upgrades
Removable equipment may be treated differently from permanently installed components. Document serial numbers and take photographs of valuable attachments and electronics.
7. Disclose Custom Farming and Work on Non-Owned Fields
If you harvest, plant, spray, haul, or perform other services for another farm, tell your insurance advisor. Custom farming can create property and liability exposures beyond those associated with operating only your own farm.
Important questions include:
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Does the policy recognize custom farming as an insured activity?
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Is there a revenue limitation for work performed for others?
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How is damage to another person’s crops or property addressed?
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What happens if equipment breaks down while performing custom work?
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Are employees and operators covered for these activities?
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Is additional liability coverage or an endorsement needed?
Even occasional work for a neighbor should be discussed. The policy should accurately reflect the operation as it exists, not just the activities conducted when the policy was originally written.
8. Verify Values, Limits, and Deductibles
Equipment prices can change significantly, and an old schedule may leave machinery insured for an amount that no longer reflects its value. Review how each item will be valued following a covered loss.
Depending on the policy, settlement may be based on actual cash value, replacement cost, an agreed value, or another valuation method. Conditions, maximum limits, depreciation, and repair-versus-replacement provisions may affect the final claim payment.
Ask your advisor:
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Is each machine insured for an appropriate amount?
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How will depreciation be applied?
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Are attachments included in the listed value?
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What deductible applies?
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Are there different deductibles for specific causes of loss?
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Does the policy contain blanket or per-item limits?
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How are partial losses settled?
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How is older or obsolete equipment valued?
Do not rely solely on the original purchase price. Recent dealer estimates, comparable equipment listings, and updated appraisals may help support appropriate values.
9. Report Newly Acquired Equipment Promptly
Some farm policies provide limited temporary coverage for newly acquired machinery, but reporting deadlines, eligibility requirements, and dollar limits may apply. Do not assume a recent purchase is fully covered simply because another tractor or combine is already listed.
Contact your agency when you purchase, lease, or take possession of equipment. Provide the description, serial number, value, financing information, and intended use as soon as possible.
Pre-Harvest Equipment Insurance Checklist
Before harvest begins:
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Update the farm equipment schedule.
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Photograph machinery, attachments, and serial numbers.
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Add recently purchased or leased equipment.
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Identify rented, borrowed, and loaned machinery.
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Review off-premises and public-road use.
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Disclose custom farming activities.
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Confirm covered causes of loss.
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Review equipment breakdown and foreign-object-ingestion options.
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Check coverage for GPS systems, electronics, and attachments.
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Verify valuation methods, limits, and deductibles.
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Save purchase, loan, lease, and maintenance records.
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Confirm how to report a loss after normal business hours.
A short review before harvest can uncover an outdated value or unlisted machine before it becomes a claim problem. Learn more about farm insurance from Short Agency Insurance, or request an insurance quote to begin a coverage review.
Coverage availability, terms, exclusions, limits, deductibles, and valuation methods vary by policy and insurer. This article provides general information and does not modify any insurance policy. Review your specific operation and policy with a licensed insurance advisor.
