Protect your farm roof from snow load collapse with the right coverage

Picture this: you wake up after a heavy snowfall to discover your barn roof has collapsed under the weight of all that snow. Sound like a nightmare? For many farmers in snowy regions, it’s an all-too-real problem every winter. Fortunately, with the right awareness, roof snow management plan and farm insurance coverage, you can help mitigate and manage this potentially catastrophic situation.

What is snow load and why is it a risk for farmers?

Snow load refers to the weight of accumulated snow and ice on a roof. Farm buildings like barns, equipment sheds and livestock shelters are especially vulnerable because of their large, often low-sloped roof designs that allow snow to accumulate quickly.

“Even a moderate amount of snow can become dangerously heavy when saturated with rain or layered with ice,” said Nationwide Farm Product Director Derek Bredlow. “Factors like the age and structural integrity of your building, how it’s designed and regional snowfall patterns affect how much roof collapse risk you’ll face.”

The financial impact of a roof collapse extends beyond the structure itself. You could face the loss of expensive equipment, injuries to livestock and potentially major business interruption. Secondary costs are often overlooked. But they can escalate quickly. These include:

• Debris removal
• Arranging temporary shelter for animals
• Lost productivity while you rebuild

Without the right farm building insurance, these expenses can threaten the future of your entire operation.

Know your farm insurance: basic, broad or special coverage

Understanding your farm insurance policy—whether it offers basic, broad or special coverage—is crucial for proper protection. Review specific details, like coverage for risks such as roof collapse from snow load. Not all farm buildings are eligible for this coverage, so consult your Nationwide Farm Certified agent to ensure you’re fully protected.

Farm building snow load collapse is not included under basic cause of loss coverage. Upgrading to broad or special cause of loss coverage expands covered perils and provides additional coverages like roof snow load collapse (unless specifically excluded). Nationwide AgriChoice®, AgriChoice® Plus and CountryChoice® insurance products all offer broad and special cause of loss as a coverage option for buildings and structures.

“AgriChoice, AgriChoice Plus and CountryChoice policies differ in the types of operations they cover. For example, an AgriChoice Plus policy is necessary if you have other commercial ventures along with crop or livestock production. But these policies don’t automatically provide coverage for snow load collapse unless buildings and structures are specifically scheduled with broad or special cause of loss,” Bredlow said. “If you are in an area where you’re at heightened risk for a roof collapse from snow load, make sure you have the right covered cause of loss of the buildings and structures.”

Review your policy with a Nationwide Farm Certified agent to understand your specific current coverage and any additions you want to make to ensure you’re covered. You may also want to consider additional options like business interruption insurance to protect your income while your farm is recovering. Check your policy declaration page to see whether you have basic, broad or special coverage in place. Once you know that, work with your agent to add specific coverage options.

By combining the right insurance coverage with a proactive management plan, you can gain peace of mind knowing your operation is protected. Talk to your Nationwide Farm Certified agent to get started.