Pumpkin Patch Insurance

Operating your business without pumpkin patch insurance could end up costing you many thousands of dollars. Allowing the public onto your property is serious, and people could get hurt. For example, if someone gets injured on your property you’ll likely be liable for damages.

Read on to learn more about insurance for pumpkin patches and how you can protect yourself.

How Do You Insure a Pumpkin Patch?

Run-of-the-mill farm insurance might not cut it for you. With a pumpkin patch, you have a greater risk of liability due to public health risks. It can help to have some information about your pumpkin patch business handy before you get started.

Know Your Specifics

You should start with a few simple specifics. Write down the hours of operation, what machinery (if any) will be on the property, what you register your business as, and what types of attractions you plan on setting up. It might also be a good idea to have the specifics of every structure on the property, including the location.

What Are Things Worth?

Machinery, buildings, equipment, etc. all have value. You need to know what that value is to accurately calculate your coverage needs. Basically, if you need to replace everything on your property, what would it cost?

Do You Have Any Preemptive Protection in Place?

Preemptive protection includes things like marked areas where the public can/cannot go, security cameras/personnel, etc. Also, you need to have a clear idea of what rules will be set and how they’ll be enforced.

Minimizing Risk

Insurance is all about risk. The less risk there is involved with operating your pumpkin patch, the better.

Your insurance carrier wants to know that you take safety and security seriously. Below are a few things you can do to help minimize risk.

Use Waivers

Waivers are a great way to transfer risk from one party to another. Have guests sign a waiver that absolves you and your business from a lawsuit if someone gets injured, sick, or for any other reason.

Remember that waivers aren’t all ironclad. It’s still possible to get sued even if you have someone sign a liability waiver.

Post Signs

Another way to minimize risk is to create clear signage providing important safety directions to your guests. You can also create signs reminding the public that they are enjoying the pumpkin patch at their own risk and that your business cannot be held liable.

Have Specially Trained Employees Available

Have properly trained staff available at each attraction on your farm or pumpkin patch. There should be first-aid-trained employees around in case anyone gets hurt. Also, only trained employees should ever operate any type of machinery or vehicle on your property.

Take Safety Seriously

Hold regular staff meetings to update employees on safety procedures and protocols. Have restricted areas clearly marked off to warn wanderers not to enter those areas. Last, ensure adults accompany children no matter where they go on the property.

What Can Pumpkin Patch Insurance Cover?

Pumpkin patch protection comes in several varieties. You need to know what it does and doesn’t cover.

Natural Disasters

Tragedies like volcanic eruptions and sinkholes are usually covered. However, other disasters like flash floods and wildfires usually require separate policies.

Other Weather Events

Your policy may cover weather events that aren’t considered natural disasters, such as lightning, heavy wind/rain, hail, tornadoes, and more. If you’re familiar with farm insurance already, you may be aware of the multiple peril crop insurance you’ll need.

Accidents

A lot of things can be considered accidents. Fires can be lit on accident, the equipment can be dropped, things can fall over, etc. Accidents can happen at any time, and you’ll want robust pumpkin patch protection insurance to keep you covered under as many circumstances as possible.

Crimes and Civil Unrest

This covers theft and vandalism that may occur. With the public coming in groups to your pumpkin patch, you never know what might happen. It’s always best to be prepared.

Collision or Death While Transporting

If you have hayrides or tractor rides, you’ll want this coverage. Should anyone be injured (or worse) on a ride, you may be protected by this kind of coverage.

Sexual Misconduct Allegations

Sexual misconduct is also covered. However, you might want to seek an additional policy if you want more protection on this front.

Fun and Games

Extra activities are also covered under your typical farm insurance policy.

If you plan to include fun activities like bounce houses, petting zoos, and more, we have additional insurance options that can provide protection for these activities.

Liability Insurance for Pumpkin Patches- Why It’s Important

Arguably, the most important part of your pumpkin patch insurance isn’t the one that replaces your broken items. It’s the one that protects you from out-of-pocket liability costs.

Liability insurance is essential for small business owners – including the pumpkin patch business. It helps to protect you from claims that your business caused either bodily injury, property damage, or both.

Lawsuits aren’t just a headache – they’re expensive and time-consuming. A lawsuit filed against your business may take months or even years to finally resolve.

Your liability insurance helps to pay any relevant court fees over the course of a lawsuit, but for your attorney’s fees and sometimes other expenses, too. Without it, you would pay all of these costs yourself.

Features and Benefits

Protecting you from certain claims is one important part of liability insurance. However, it does a whole lot more than that.

It can help pay for your business’ legal costs should you be brought to court. It can also pay for customer medical bills if they’re hurt on your property.

Putting It All Together

It’s simple. If you’re going to let the public onto your pumpkin patch, you need pumpkin patch insurance. It can protect you from paying for damages resulting from injuries, and it can replace your own damaged property, provided it’s a covered loss.

If you’d like to get started with an insurance quote, get started here.

Authored by Rick J. Lindsey, President, Chairman, and CEO of XINSURANCE

Rick J. Lindsey hails from Salt Lake City, Utah. He began working in the mailroom of his father’s Salt Lake City insurance firm, getting his introduction to the business that became his lifelong career. Rick J. Lindsey quickly rose through the ranks while working in nearly every imaginable insurance industry job. As an entrepreneur, specialty lines underwriter, claims specialist, risk manager, and a licensed surplus lines broker, Rick J. Lindsey is highly skilled in all levels of leadership and execution. As he progressed on his career path, Rick J. Lindsey discovered an urgent need for insurers willing to write policies for high-risk individuals and businesses. He was frequently frustrated that he could not provide the liability protection these entities desperately needed to safeguard their assets. He also formed the belief that insurance companies acted too quickly to settle frivolous claims. Rick J. Lindsey decided to try a different approach. He started an insurance company and became the newly formed entity’s CEO. This opportunity has enabled Rick J. Lindsey to fill a void in the market and provide a valuable service to businesses, individuals, and insurance agents who write high-risk business. XINSURANCE also specializes in helping individuals and businesses who live a lifestyle or participate in activities that make them difficult for traditional carriers to insure. If you’ve been denied, non-renewed, or canceled coverage, don’t give up quite yet. Chances are XINSURANCE can help.