Farm Animal Insurance

FMG provides the broadest livestock insurance portfolio, covering dairy cattle, beef cattle, bulls, sheep, deer stags and hinds, goats, pigs, poultry, alpacas, llamas, and other common farm animals. Their policy structure allows blanket cover for standard commercial animals and specified agreed value for high-value breeding stock.

Aon offers livestock cover for the most common farm animals — cattle, sheep, deer — through their online and adviser channels. Aon is particularly competitive for straightforward commercial livestock cover.

For unusual or exotic livestock — alpacas, llamas, emus, or other specialty animals — Gallagher Insurance's specialist animal division often provides cover when generalist farm insurers will not.

Many NZ farms operate multiple livestock types — sheep and beef cattle, dairy and young stock, poultry alongside cattle. Farm pack policies are designed for this reality, allowing you to insure all your livestock types in one comprehensive policy.

The advantage of a farm pack is simplicity and bundled pricing. Rather than separate policies for cattle, sheep, and poultry, everything sits together under one farm policy. This also ensures consistent coverage across your whole operation.

When you operate multiple livestock types, working with a rural insurance broker ensures each animal type is covered appropriately — blanket cover for commercial stock, specified cover for valuable breeding animals.

Dairy goat farming has grown in NZ. Goat herds can be insured similar to cattle — blanket cover for the commercial herd at herd value rates. Registered pedigree goats with valuable genetics should be specified at agreed value.

Small pig operations can be covered under farm policies. Poultry — chickens, ducks, turkeys — can typically be included under farm animal cover, though values are usually modest.

Alpacas and llamas are becoming more common on NZ farms for fibre production. Gallagher has specific expertise in alpaca and llama insurance that makes them the preferred provider for these animals.

The best farm animal insurance is one customised to your specific operation. Rather than standard off-the-shelf policies, work with a rural adviser who understands your farm's unique mix of animals, values, and risks.

For example: a Waikato dairy farm with 300 cows, young stock replacements, and some beef cattle finishing might structure cover very differently from a high-country station running 10,000 sheep, beef cattle, and deer stags. Location, animal values, and risk factors all inform the right insurance structure.