BeeKeeper Insurance

[wags]

I am looking for a general cost for insurance for a small business with 50 hives. I am doing a class at UMUC and beekeeping is my fake company. I have been looking on line and no one says how much it cost. I contacted one company but they have not contacted me back.

I know there are many factors for insurance but what is general number for 20 or 50 hives and  if I want to sell honey?

Thanks for any answers.

Mike

 

[Cynthia Fistler]

I hope this reply comes in time to help your project! You may find it difficult to get this information, as it is not common for hobby beekeepers in Loudoun County to maintain liability insurance. As far as I know, the reason most beekeepers don't have insurance is because we don't have to. This creates a pretty limited market for it, so you might have trouble getting a quote. My guess is any quote you get would be for a general personal or business liability policy, not a product specific to beekeeping.

Further, Virginia passed a state law last year limiting liability for beekeepers, provided they comply with a set of beekeeping best practices they defined with the help of the beekeeping community. That law was HB 535, and you can read it here: http://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/3.2-4411.1. The best practices can be found here: http://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title2/agency5/chapter319/

For links to other regulations related to beekeeping that may be of use for your project, check out LBA's Beekeeping Regulations page.

[Lennie Mather]

Virginia Farm Bureau gave our club a great rate. Lennie Mather, Treasurer BONS

[Frank]

The number of hives isn't the real cost driver, it is the total value of the equipment so hive boxes, extractor, storage equipment, etc.  There is no "life" insurance on the bees themselves.  A full annual liability policy from Farm Family Insurance for my 25 hive operation is $250 a year.  If you add in doing extractions on other peoples's property is another $250 per year.  An overall commercial policy for "selling honey"  would be typical if you had a dedicated store.  If you cross the VDACs threshold of 2,500 lbs (I think?) you need to have a health certificate and training for the staff doing the packaging.  Keep in mind for your business you should also include some form of commercial coverage and liability on your truck or trailer if they are used in the business.  My MBA was in entrepreneurship and I do business plans in my sleep.  Good luck in your class.