Farm and Crop Insurance By The Numbers
Number of farms in the US: 2.02 million
Average farm size: 444 acres
Provides 965,000 jobs
How Does Your City Measure Up?
City | Number of Farms in County | Average Farm Size |
Chicago | 237 | 35 acres |
Aurora | 759 | 253 acres |
Rockford | 860 | 214 acres |
Joliet | 877 | 252 acres |
Naperville | 73 | 109 acres |
Springfield | 1153 | 449 acres |
Peoria | 877 | 296 acres |
Champaign | 1389 | 396 acres |
Bloomington | 1513 | 447 acres |
Decatur | 708 | 410 acres |
Evanston | 237 | 35 acres |
Schaumburg | 237 | 35 acres |
Orland Park | 237 | 35 acres |
Tinley Park | 237 | 35 acres |
Mt. Vernon | 1156 | 201 acres |
Carbondale | 810 | 277 acres |
Fox Lake | 396 | 87 acres |
Popular Questions about Farm and Crop Insurance in Illinois
Farm and crop insurance are two different types of coverage. Each can benefit Illinois farmers by protecting against common risks in this state. You can opt to buy either or both types of coverage. Many Illinois farmers purchase both.
- Farm insurance: This is designed to cover your farm property and protect against liability risks.
- Crop insurance: This covers damages to your crops and shields you from large financial losses related to significant fluctuations in the price of the commodities you are producing.
An independent insurance agent can help you determine which policies can benefit you.
The most common risks faced by farmers in Illinois are severe weather, fire, commodity price drops, and liability lawsuits.
Severe weather
- Hail: Illinois is among the states most affected by hail damage.
- Freezing temperatures/frosts: Occasional freezing temperatures during the growing season can damage crops and present harvesting problems.
- Tornadoes: On average, 54 tornadoes touch down in this state each year.
- Heavy rains and floods: Between 2000 and 2018 there were more than 1,500 floods in Illinois causing approximately $3 billion worth of damages.
- Example: An unusually wet spring in 2019 led to a 59% decline in corn production in this state.
- Covered by: Farm insurance covers damage to buildings and machinery; crop insurance covers damage to crops.
Fire
- Wildfires: Wildfires are not as common in Illinois as in some neighboring states, but they still pose a threat. In 2018, six wildfires burned 120 acres of land in this state.
- Accidental fires: Accidental fires sometimes happen. If your farm house or a barn burns down, it can result in loss or damage to expensive property and kill livestock.
- Example: In 2018, an accidental fire at an egg farm in this state killed about 50,000 chickens.
- Covered by: Farm insurance covers damage to buildings, property, and livestock; crop insurance covers you if a wildfire takes out your crops.
Insect infestation, Disease, and Predators
- Affecting plants: An insect infestation or unmitigated plant disease can kill crops and damage soil.
- Affecting animals: Livestock may be sickened or killed by disease or attacked by predators.
- Example: Illinois farmers lose about 15 million bushels of corn to root rot and seedling blights every year.
- Covered by: Crop insurance covers you for plant diseases and infestations; farm insurance covers you for livestock diseases.
Liability lawsuits
- Related to products: If the products your farm produces cause others to suffer illnesses or injuries, you can be sued for damages.
- Related to third-party injuries: If you allow visitors to your farm for activities or commerce and someone is injured in an accident on your property, your farm business can be named in a liability lawsuit.
- Related to worker injuries: Farmers in Illinois are not required by law to cover the workers they employ. Without liability protection, you can be sued if a laborer is seriously injured on the job.
- Examples: Hog farmers have recently found themselves on the wrong end of pollution liability lawsuits due to the high quantity of nitrates and phosphates in pig manure.
- Covered by: Farm insurance covers liability lawsuits.
Your farm isn’t just your home, it is also your business. Farm insurance is specially designed coverage that protects both.
Here’s what you can expect a standard farm insurance policy to do:
Pays For Damage to Your Farm Buildings
- A farm insurance policy can cover the structures on your land including barns, silos, sheds, garages, and your farmhouse.
- Example: A tornado destroys your barn and damages one of your silos.
Pays For Damage to Your Farm Property
- Farm insurance covers your property including the contents of your home, your farm equipment like hay rakers, and your tools and machinery including tractors, balers, and combines.
- Example: A hailstorm causes significant mechanical damages to your farm equipment.
Pays for the Costs Associated with Liability Lawsuits
- Liability insurance covers the cost of legal defense, court costs, and damages if your farm is sued for a covered event.
- Example: An E-coli breakout is traced back to your farm and you are sued for damages.
Covers Your Livestock
- If your livestock are killed by a severe weather event, predators, or disease, you can receive compensation for your losses.
- Example: Several head of cattle are killed when heavy rains lead to flooding at your farm.
Crop insurance is designed to cover loss or damage to your crops as well as significant drops in commodity value.
There are three different types of crop insurance. You can opt to buy just one or a combination of coverage:
Multiple Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI)
- This covers your crops against a wide range of hazards including tornadoes, floods, droughts, insect infestations, and plant diseases.
- Example: An insect infestation causes your farm to lose several acres of produce.
Crop-Hail Insurance
- This covers your crops against hail damage only. This provides low cost coverage for high yield crops, but the coverage is rather limited.
- Example: A major hailstorm causes you to lose 50 percent of your corn harvest.
Crop Revenue Insurance
- This covers against revenue losses due to an extreme drop in the price of the commodities you produce on your farm. It also covers financial losses if you have a lower-than-expected crop yield.
- Example: Unforeseen tariffs cause a significant decrease in soybean prices.
Farm and crop insurance are not required by law in Illinois, and many owners of small farms opt to go without it.
However, considering that the more than 72,000 farms in this state generate about $19 billion in revenue every year, it is easy to see why these insurance policies are important, not only to the individual farmers who carry them but to the state’s overall economy.
Talk with a local independent insurance agent to learn more about this coverage and to get help deciding whether a policy is a good investment for your particular farm.
Last year, farmers in Illinois paid a total of $277.6 million for farm insurance and $85.4 million for crop insurance. These policies provided more than $10 billion in coverage in this state.
Your cost for farm insurance will depend on several factors such as:
- The size and location of your farm
- The number and types of buildings you have on your property
- The number and types of livestock you are raising
- The types of crops you are growing and the number of acres planted
- The value of your farm machinery
- Whether or not you have employees, and if so, how many
- The policy options and coverage limits to are purchasing
A local independent agent can help you obtain and compare a selection of customized farm and crop insurance quotes so you can see how much a policy will cost for your particular farm.
Yes, there are currently 1,184 independent insurance agents in Illinois who are ready to help.
Because they are independent, these agents can work with several different insurance providers to find you competitively priced farm and crop insurance policies that offer the coverage you need for your Illinois farm.
Work with an agent near you so that you can be sure that you are fully covered against all of the risks you are likely to face as a farmer in Illinois.
Independent agents compare policies and rates from a variety of highly rated insurance companies in order to find you the coverage you need at a price you can afford.
The insurance company that may be best suited for one Illinois farmer may not be the ideal choice for another. Independent agents understand this and will help you compare policies and rates from a selection of highly rated insurance companies so that you can be sure you are getting coverage from the company is this right for you.
Here are some of the insurance companies our agents work with in Illinois:
Find Other Insurance Topics in Your State
- Springfield
- Farm and Crop Insurance
Coverage against Property Damage
If you own a farm in the Springfield area, you will want to be sure that your property is suitably protected. The average value of farm land and buildings in Sangamon County is $3,891, so this is definitely property worth covering.
Farm insurance can cover against a multitude of damaging risks ranging from hail to floods to tornadoes. Severe weather can pose a significant risk in this area. In March of 2019, a “bomb cyclone” struck the area causing significant damage to farms buildings and killing livestock. Those with farm insurance were covered.
Coverage against Loss of Revenue
Springfield area farmers also need to protect their revenues so that their farms can remain profitable. Farmers in Sangamon County plant about 257,000 acres of corn, 118,300 acres of soybeans, and 2,900 acres of alfalfa hay every year. The profitability of these crops is vulnerable to risks such as severe weather, insect infestations, and fluctuating market values.
With annual cash receipts totaling about $237 million from crops alone, Sangamon farmers have a lot to lose if things go wrong. That is why so many choose to invest in crop insurance to protect their bottom line.
An independent insurance agent can help you find the best policy. Find an agent in Springfield, IL, to learn more.
- Champaign
- Farm and Crop Insurance
Coverage against Property Damage
As a Champaign area farmer, you will want to be sure that your farm property is suitably protected. The average value of farm land and buildings in Champaign County is $4,351 per acre, so a damaging event can prove quite expensive.
Farm insurance can cover against a number of different risks ranging from hail storms to tornadoes. Tornadoes pose a significant risk in this area. One of the worst to strike in the area was an F3 twister that touched down just three miles from the Champaign city center. This tornado caused approximately $9 million in damages.
Coverage against Loss of Revenue
Champaign’s farmers also need to keep their revenues well protected so that their farms can remain profitable. Farmers in Champaign County grow about 299,000 acres of corn, 223,000 acres of soybeans, and 3,300 acres of wheat every year. These crops are vulnerable to severe weather, plant diseases, and insect infestations. Also, fluctuations in commodity market values can lower their values.
With annual cash receipts totaling about $310 million from crops alone, Champaign County farmers have a lot to lose if the unexpected happens. That is why so many choose buy crop insurance to cover against undue losses.
Local independent insurance agents are available to help you find farm and crop insurance coverage at a competitive price.
- Bloomington
- Farm and Crop Insurance
Coverage against Property Damage
Farmers in the Bloomington area can cover their property with a comprehensive farm insurance policy. The average value of farmland and buildings in McLean County is $4,181, so a severe weather event can prove quite expensive to local farmers.
Farm insurance can cover against a variety of risks ranging from wildfires to windstorms. One of the worst storms to hit the area occurred in August of 2012. It brought 90 mph winds, heavy rains, and hail which caused millions of dollars of damage to homes and farms in the area.
Coverage against Loss of Revenue
It is important to the local economy that Bloomington’s farms remain profitable. Farmers in McLean County grow about 368,500 acres of corn, 241,500 acres of soybeans, and 2,600 acres of wheat every year. These crops’ revenues are vulnerable to a number of risks ranging from severe weather to fluctuations in market values.
With annual cash receipts totaling about $386 million from crops alone, McLean County farmers have a lot to lose if the unexpected happens. That is why so many Bloomington area farmers cover against undue losses by purchasing crop insurance.
Local independent insurance agents understand the risks that farmers in the area face. They can therefore help you find comprehensive farm and crop insurance coverage at an affordable price.
- Decatur
- Farm and Crop Insurance
Coverage against Property Damage
If you own a farm in the Decatur area, you will want to be sure that your property is suitably protected. The average value of farmland and buildings in Macon County is $4,461 an acre, so this is definitely property worth covering.
Farm insurance can cover against a multitude of damaging risks ranging from floods to hailstorms. Tornadoes pose a significant risk in this area. One of the worst ever to threaten area farms was an F3 twister that touched down just 2.3 miles from the Decatur city center in April of 1996. This tornado caused $9 million in damages. Fortunately, farm and crop insurance covers against this risk.
Coverage against Loss of Revenue
Decatur’s farmers also need to protect their revenues so that their farms, which play a major role in the local economy, can remain profitable. Farmers in Macon County plant about 179,800 acres of corn, 99,300 acres of soybeans, and 5,880 acres of alfalfa hay every year. The profitability of these crops is vulnerable to severe weather, plant diseases, and fluctuating market values.
With cash receipts totaling about $179 million from crops alone, Macon County farmers have a lot to lose if things go wrong. That is why so many farmers in the Decatur area choose to invest in crop insurance.
Talk to an independent insurance agent near you to learn more about the many ways that farm and crop insurance can work together to protect your Decatur farm.
- Peoria
- Farm and Crop Insurance
Coverage against Property Damage
Farmers in the Peoria vicinity can cover their property with an all-encompassing farm insurance policy. The average value of farmland and buildings in Peoria County is $3,885, so farm property coverage is certainly worth having.
Farm insurance can cover against a variety of damaging risks such as windstorms and hail. Flood damage also poses a significant risk in this area. Heavy rains can cause the Illinois River and the Upper Peoria Lake to overflow their banks and flood area farms. If this happens, farm and crop insurance can provide a good deal of coverage.
Coverage against Loss of Revenue
It is important to the local economy that the many farms in Peoria remain profitable. Farmers in Peoria County grow about 115,000 acres of corn, 70,700 acres of soybeans, and 3,200 acres of wheat every year. These crops’ revenues are vulnerable to a number of potential hazards ranging from severe weather events to sudden drops in market values.
With annual cash receipts totaling about $121 million from crops alone, Peoria County farmers have a lot to lose if the unexpected happens. That is why so many local farmers cover against undue losses by purchasing crop insurance.
Because they live and work in the area, local independent insurance agents understand the risks that farmers in Peoria face. They can therefore help you find the best and most affordable coverage for your farm.