What Does Livestock Insurance Cover?

Livestock insurance covers the death of your animals due to illness, accident, injury, or disease, and depending on the policy, much more than that. Whether you run a commercial cattle operation, a smaller operation, or a diversified agricultural operation, understanding exactly what is and isn't covered can mean the difference between a manageable loss and a devastating one.

This guide covers the main livestock insurance coverage types available through Remuda Insurance Group's livestock and farm insurance program, and what to look for in any policy.

The Core Coverage Types

Livestock Mortality Insurance

This is the foundation, it pays you the insured value of an animal if it dies from a covered cause. Covered causes typically include illness, accident, injury, disease, and humane destruction certified by a licensed veterinarian. Exclusions vary by carrier but generally include pre-existing conditions, negligence, and undisclosed health history.

Livestock mortality is available for individual animals or as blanket coverage for an entire herd. Individual scheduling works best for high-value animals like breeding bulls and show cattle. Blanket coverage is more practical for commercial beef, pasture, and feedlot operations.

Cattle Insurance

Beef and show cattle are the most commonly insured livestock in the US. Coverage is available for cow-calf operations, stocker cattle, feedlot cattle, and breeding stock. Policy structure depends on the type of operation, a seedstock producer has different risk exposure than a commercial cow-calf rancher.

• Beef cattle — mortality coverage for commercial herds, cow-calf pairs, stocker cattle

• Breeding stock — individual scheduling at market or appraised value

• Feeder cattle — short-term policies available during the feeding period

Blanket Herd Coverage

For commercial cattle operations with 10 or more head, blanket coverage insures the total value of your herd without scheduling every animal individually. As animals are added or removed from the herd, the coverage adjusts accordingly. This is the most practical option for large operations where individual scheduling would be administratively impractical.

Bull Infertility Coverage

A proven breeding bull represents a significant financial investment, and permanent infertility ends that investment overnight. Bull infertility coverage pays for permanent loss of breeding ability due to injury or disease. A veterinary fertility examination is required before coverage is bound. This is one of the most requested specialty coverages in cattle-producing states.

Club Calf and Club Lamb Coverage

Show animals purchased for 4-H, FFA, and open show competition can be insured from purchase through the show season. Policies are available as short-term or annual coverage, with individual scheduling at the purchased value. Coverage is especially popular during state fair and livestock show seasons in Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Georgia.

What Livestock Insurance Does NOT Cover?

Livestock Insurance vs Horse Insurance

Livestock insurance and horse insurance are separate product lines with different underwriting, different carriers, and different coverage structures. If you run a mixed operation, horses and cattle, for example, you need both. Remuda Insurance Group writes both programs under one relationship. For everything about horse coverage specifically, see our equine insurance page,including mortality, major medical, colic surgery coverage, and loss of use.

One thing both programs have in common: the importance of understanding exactly what is covered before a loss occurs. For a breakdown of equine-specific coverage costs, see our guide on how much horse insurance costs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does livestock insurance cover a whole herd or just individual animals?

Both options are available. Individual coverage schedules each animal at its specific value, best for high-value bulls, breeding stock, and show cattle. Blanket coverage insures the total herd value without listing every animal individually, most practical for commercial operations of 10 or more head.

Do I need a vet exam to insure my cattle?

A vet exam is not required for cattle purchased at auction. For individually scheduled high-value animals, which includes breeding bulls applying for bull infertility coverage, a veterinary fertility exam is required before coverage is bound.