Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
The changing climate is reshaping risk across the board. As conditions become less predictable, the real question is no longer just whether you’re insured, but whether your cover still reflects today’s recovery costs, so that a loss doesn’t place unnecessary pressure on your balance sheet.
Ask any farmer in South Africa whether the climate has changed and you won’t get a theoretical answer. You’ll hear about dry spells that last longer than they used to, rainfall that arrives in short, intense bursts rather than steady cycles, veld fires that spread rapidly in dry, windy conditions, and heavy rains that damage buildings and infrastructure. These risks aren’t new to South African farming, but their frequency and intensity are undeniably shifting.
If you’ve spent years building and maintaining your operation, a changing climate hits close to home. The cost of repairing or replacing what you rely on isn’t standing still, and the pressures on your farm won’t ease simply because your insurance hasn’t been reviewed.
Insured isn’t always the same as covered
When costs start rising, they rarely come down again. Repairing or replacing buildings and equipment after severe weather often costs more than it did a few years ago. Infrastructure that once coped well enough in milder conditions – from irrigation systems to the machinery you depend on daily – now faces greater strain as the climate grows more extreme.
Yet many insurance policies are renewed year after year without being properly reviewed. Over time, this creates a quiet gap between what’s listed on your insurance schedule and and what you would realistically need to get back on your feet.
You may not see that gap until an unforeseen event brings it into sharp focus. Cover set during a run of mild conditions may no longer reflect the cost of recovery after a severe event, and insurance cover that once fit your needs closely can fall behind as the risk environment changes.
Cover that works as hard as your farm
If your insurance cover has fallen behind, it doesn’t have to stay that way. Old Mutual Insure AgriPlus is designed for the way your farm actually operates. It offers structured protection for the essentials your operation depends on — including machinery, equipment, household contents, farm buildings, and stored items — safeguarding them against loss or damage.
Your cover can also be extended to include own goods in transit, irrigation systems on wheels, and spread of fire under the liability section, should you choose these options.
The farm that shaped you
No one farms without the land leaving its mark. The unexpected setbacks, the lessons learned the hard way, the slow, steady building of something durable, your resilience and passion for farming, and years of knowledge passed down through generations all reflect the effort it took to get where you are today.
Ensuring your insurance cover still matches your current and future needs is how you protect that legacy.
A regular, open conversation with your broker about what has changed is one of the simplest ways to keep your insurance cover working as hard as you are.
Protect what built you. Chat to your broker about Old Mutual Insure AgriPlus.
