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Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

What Do You Know About Liability Insurance

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David

04-19-2004 15:14:36




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My son (age 15) and I have 3 tractors that we use for a variety of things. My questions are related to the use of them on the road. First, are we required to have some sort of liability insurance to legally operate them on public highways, whether it be homeowners, automobile or a policy unto itself? While we do not own a farm, some of the jobs are done on my father's farm. Second, are we required to take a tractor safety course? And last, are we required to have a lighting system such as flashing and or directionals? WHat do the experts have to say?

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paul

04-20-2004 07:59:36




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 Re: What Do You Know About Liability Insurance in reply to David, 04-19-2004 15:14:36  
I know it varies some with each state, and you failed to tell us yours....

In general most states only require a SMV triangle in daylight, and some sort of lighting plus the SMV at night. Lighting requirements vary by state.

Some states have different rules if you are not actively farming with your implements, as to licence plates & such.

If you are _farming_, most states have no other _requirements_.

However, a certain percent of people in cars are very stupid, and the laws of the USA allow & encourage stupid people to sue people with assets to gain money.

You would be extremely foolish to _not_ have a good liability policy that, for sure, covers your use of your tractors. You could lose everything you own without it. Even if you have done nothing wrong & the dummy in the car has no basis at all to sue you, the legal & court costs will drain you. Much better to have the insurance co foot that bill. _any_ dummy can sue you for _anything_ at _any_ time and will find others to foot their bill on this. We live in a weird country on this.

Insurance agents sometime want to make a sale and don't quite grasp the finer points of a policy. You & I can't possibly understand all the fine print and the verbal stuff the agent tells you doesn't mean diddly. Be sure you find a good agent, and work out the very sticky points of a farm policy, a homeowner's policy, & how it applies to your implements and the way you use them. The insurance company is happy to cash your checks for years, but if an issue comes up they will go over those points with a fine tooth come rather than pay out a million bucks - leaves you on the hook.

--->Paul

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stan

04-19-2004 22:43:45




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 Re: What Do You Know About Liability Insurance in reply to David, 04-19-2004 15:14:36  
About all I know about liability insurnce is, it is expensive, and goes up about 300.00 every year. As others have said check with your ins. agent. Stan



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John (C-IL)

04-19-2004 19:48:05




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 Re: What Do You Know About Liability Insurance in reply to David, 04-19-2004 15:14:36  
First of all talk to your insurance agent, if he/she can't answer your questions then find one that can. You need some sort of liability coverage to protect you from even the most frivolous law suits. In Illinois you are required to display an SMV sign both day and night. At night you are also required to have lights that delineate the tractor and the implement and hazard flashers. In Illinois, children under age 16 must complete a tractor operator's saftey course, not a big deal, but a requirement, usually the 4-H and FFA do the course with the guidance of the extention service. Fortunately I have a small farm and my tractors are covered under my farm policy, I do have a rider to cover me when I go to tractor shows.

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Skycarp

04-19-2004 19:08:43




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 Re: What Do You Know About Liability Insurance in reply to David, 04-19-2004 15:14:36  
IMHO, you need to check with your insurance agent on this question. Tell her your concerns, what you do, and what you do it with. She will recommend the necessary coverage. I am not an advocate of too much insurance,and I hate paying it, but I would rather pay it now than to lose it all in a court over a lawsuit.

I myself have State Farm Insurance. I have insurance policies on my autos, boat, RV, ATV's, tractors, homeowners, and rental property. On top of those I have an umbrella policy to cover my properties and toys away from the primary residence.

My umbrella policy is for $1 Million over and above what any other policy covers in liability. One example of what the umbrella policy covers: I am renting a house boat for 5 days this summer. The liability from the rental company would have cost me $35 dollars a day. My umbrella policy covers me totally while on the house boat. The umbrella policy costs me $191.00 a year.

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Burrhead

04-19-2004 18:33:58




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 Re: What Do You Know About Liability Insurance in reply to David, 04-19-2004 15:14:36  
In Texas there are no licence, nor safety class requirements for farm equipment and no requirement for farm equipment to have public liability.

All that is required by law on tractors and equipment is an SMV (Slow Moving Vehicle) emblem for daylight movements. For after dark movements we have to have headlights and either have to have warning flashers on the tractor or a vehicle following the tractor with hazard flashers working + plus the SMV emblems.

I did like Errin recommends and have a farm policy that covers my equipment and animals liability.

That way if I have a cow in the road and a runaway yuppie hits it he can sue Allstates.

I would hate to have worked all my life just to have a sight seeing runaway yuppie hit me and kill me and my tractor, then sue my wife and have her end up homeless or in debt.

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old

04-19-2004 18:28:15




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 Re: What Do You Know About Liability Insurance in reply to David, 04-19-2004 15:14:36  
I can't say much about other then it depends on the laws of each state.



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Errin OH

04-19-2004 15:33:45




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 Re: What Do You Know About Liability Insurance in reply to David, 04-19-2004 15:14:36  
Check with your homeowners and be specific. I found out that I was only covered when a mower was attached to it and only while mowing along the road. Switched to a small farm policy and now it doesn't madder. I can drive it to work if I wanted to.



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