28/04/2026
Why spring is the ideal time to review your farm insurance
Spring is a season of longer days, warmer weather and new life, but it’s also one of the busiest and more demanding times of the year for livestock farmers. Lambing and calving seasons are in full swing and require a lot of energy and round-the-clock care.
It’s an exciting time, full of opportunities, but with it also comes added pressures and increased risks that could leave farmers financially exposed. Getting a quick review of your insurance now could help prevent costly mistakes or gaps in cover at a time when you need the most support.
Here are a few things that happen in spring that could affect your farm insurance:
1. Rising livestock numbers and values
It’ll come as no surprise that as the lambs and calves arrive, your livestock numbers will naturally increase, but it’s not as simple as just quantity changing. Depending on what kind of policy you have, newborn animals aren’t always included automatically so it’s important to update your insurer on how many animals you now have on the farm.
Another factor is that as the animals grow, their market value also goes up too. This means that your livestock sums insured can start to jump up quite significantly in a short space of time. If you don’t update your cover, there’s a real risk that you could become underinsured.
Getting a seasonal update means that your livestock numbers are up-to-date and covered for their current worth – helping you to stay protected.
2. Extra hands on the farm
During spring, it’s normal to bring in some extra help, whether that’s family, friends, volunteers, or hired staff. With more hands on deck, it’s important to make sure that these temporary workers are covered properly.
Employers’ liability is legally required for anyone who works for you, whether they’re getting paid or not. If you’ve brought in any additional help on your farm, reach out to your insurer to check that they (and everyone else on the farm) are fully covered.
3. Increased chance of accidents
As you’ll already know, working on a farm is a demanding job at any time of year, but during the lambing and calving season, the long days and interrupted nights can quickly take a toll.
The farming industry is regarded as one of the most dangerous in the UK . Risks include working with heavy machinery, vehicles, chemicals, unpredictable livestock, unstable terrain and at height all come as part and parcel with farm life. Sadly, this means slips, kicks, and other accidents can become common, especially if people are operating on little sleep.
Take time to review your personal accident and farm liability cover to be sure that you’re protected if something goes wrong.
4. Veterinary bills
Managing spring livestock comes with its own, unique challenges. Newborn animals are especially vulnerable, birthing complications can escalate quickly, and diseases can spread even quicker when there are more animals on the farm that usual.
Before you know it, you can find yourself facing a hefty vet bill. If your policy includes livestock disease or veterinary fee cover, spring is the ideal time to check that your limits still work for your farm.
A good moment to take stock
Getting your insurance reviewed doesn’t need to be time-consuming or complicated. It’s just a chance to reflect on any changes and make sure that your policy covers everything you need it to.
We know that spring is a busy time with plenty of spinning plates already in motion, but a quick call to your insurer now could save you a lot of stress and money in the long run.
