208-609-3511 daniel@bittickinsurance.com

Livestock mortality insurance pays out when a covered animal dies prematurely from an accident, illness, injury, disease, or extreme weather, replacing the income and the asset you lost. It functions much like a business loss policy: the payout helps cover what it costs to replace the animal and bridges the revenue gap between the loss and the replacement.

Bittick Insurance is an independent agency headquartered in Eagle, Idaho, placing coverage with multiple carriers for agricultural operations across the Treasure Valley, from dairies and feedlots near Caldwell and Nampa to horse operations in the foothills above Eagle. We are also licensed in CA, CO, ID, NV, OR, TX, VA, and WA.

What this coverage includes

Premature death from covered causes

The core of this policy pays out when a covered animal dies before the end of its productive life from a non-natural cause. Covered causes typically include accidents, injuries, documented illness, disease, disability, and severe weather events. Natural causes at end of life are not covered, and every policy carries specific exclusions, so the exact trigger list matters. When you work with Bittick, we walk through those exclusions with you before you sign anything.

Replacement cost for the animal

When a covered animal dies, the policy helps pay what it actually costs to source and acquire a comparable replacement. For purebred seed stock cattle or a highly trained working animal, that replacement figure can be substantial and very different from generic market value. The policy limit should reflect current replacement cost, not purchase price from years ago. We help you think through that number when quoting coverage.

Lost revenue during the replacement gap

There is always a gap between the day you lose an animal and the day a replacement is producing revenue. A dairy cow, a breeding bull, or a service dog in final training each represents ongoing income. Livestock mortality coverage can include provisions that compensate for lost production or revenue during that gap period, depending on how the policy is structured. Not every carrier handles this the same way, which is one reason working with an independent broker matters.

Optional perils you can add to a base policy

A base livestock mortality policy covers a defined core list of causes. Many carriers allow you to add specific perils that match your actual environment and operation: wildfire and extreme weather (relevant across southern Idaho where fire seasons are getting longer), vehicular accidents, theft, accidental shooting, wild animal attacks, and building collapses. Adding the right perils focuses your coverage on the scenarios your operation actually faces rather than paying for exposure you do not have.

Coverage across a wide range of species

Livestock mortality is not limited to cattle and hogs. Carriers write coverage for horses, dairy cows, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, alpacas, emus, and exotic animals held at zoos and wildlife facilities. The species you insure affects both the available coverage structure and the premium, because some animals are harder to value and harder to replace than others. We match you with a carrier whose appetite fits your specific herd or collection.

Pairs well with

Farm and Ranch Insurance

A farm and ranch policy covers your buildings, equipment, and general farm liability. Livestock mortality coverage focuses on the animals themselves, so the two policies complement each other to cover the full operation.

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Commercial Property Insurance

If you own barns, feed storage, or processing facilities, commercial property insurance covers those structures when livestock mortality covers the animals inside them.

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General Liability Insurance

Liability coverage protects you if a visitor, employee, or neighboring property is injured or damaged because of your animals. It handles third-party claims that mortality coverage does not touch.

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Business Income Insurance

For larger operations where a single animal loss could cascade into a broader revenue disruption, business income insurance backstops the revenue side while livestock mortality covers the asset itself.

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Commercial Auto Insurance

Hauling animals on Idaho highways or rural roads creates vehicle liability exposure. Commercial auto covers your trucks and trailers separately from the animals they carry.

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What this coverage protects against

Common risks and how this coverage addresses them. Tap any scenario to expand.

  • A prime dairy cow dies mid-season on a Caldwell farm.

    The risk

    A healthy, high-producing Holstein fractures a leg in a loading incident and has to be euthanized three years before the end of her productive life. The farmer loses both the animal's milk revenue and the cost of sourcing a comparable replacement heifer that is already milking.

    How this coverage helps

    Livestock mortality coverage pays out based on the cow's insured value, covering replacement acquisition cost and helping offset lost milk production during the gap. The farmer can reinvest in a replacement without draining operating cash reserves.

  • A registered breeding bull is lost to injury two weeks before the breeding season.

    The risk

    A seed stock cattle operation north of Nampa loses its registered Angus bull to a pasture injury right at the start of breeding season. Finding a genetically comparable replacement on short notice is expensive, and missing the window delays calf production by a full year.

    How this coverage helps

    The policy pays the insured value of the bull, giving the rancher capital to source a replacement quickly. The lost-revenue provision can also offset some of the downstream production impact of the delayed breeding cycle.

  • Wildfire smoke and heat stress kill poultry before evacuation is possible.

    The risk

    A poultry operation in the foothills east of Eagle faces a fast-moving fire during August fire season. Smoke inhalation and extreme heat kill a portion of the flock before the farmer can move them, representing both immediate asset loss and lost production for the coming months.

    How this coverage helps

    With extreme weather and fire perils added to the livestock mortality policy, the producer files a claim for the dead birds at their insured value. The payout helps restock the flock and partially compensates for the production gap while numbers rebuild.

  • A trained service dog dies before placement with its recipient.

    The risk

    A service dog training organization near Boise loses a dog that had completed two years of specialized training and was weeks away from being placed. The time, the trainer fees, and the animal's value represent a significant unrecovered investment.

    How this coverage helps

    Livestock mortality coverage written to reflect the dog's trained value, not just its market price, pays out on the loss. The organization can fund a replacement dog's training without absorbing the full sunk cost of the animal they lost.

  • A zoo's featured exotic animal dies from a sudden illness.

    The risk

    A wildlife park loses a large exotic cat to a rapid-onset illness. The animal was the centerpiece of a major exhibit, and visitor revenue tied to that exhibit drops sharply while the facility evaluates its options.

    How this coverage helps

    A livestock mortality policy written for exotic species covers the animal's appraised value. The payout gives the facility a financial foundation to acquire a replacement animal through legitimate channels without exhausting its operating budget.

  • A horse is injured in a trailer accident on a mountain highway.

    The risk

    A performance horse operation is transporting horses on Highway 55 when a trailer accident injures two horses severely enough that one has to be euthanized on site. The animal was a trained competition horse with significant replacement value above generic market price.

    How this coverage helps

    Livestock mortality coverage that includes vehicular accidents pays out at the animal's insured value, which the owner set to match actual replacement cost for a horse of comparable training and record. Commercial auto covers the trailer damage separately.

  • A frozen barn roof collapses, killing livestock inside during a hard Idaho winter.

    The risk

    An early December freeze followed by heavy snow collapses the roof of a livestock barn on a Snake River Valley operation near Kuna. Several animals are killed in the collapse, and the rest of the herd is exposed to the elements for days before temporary shelter is arranged.

    How this coverage helps

    Building collapse is a covered peril under the livestock mortality policy, so the farmer files a claim for the animals killed. Commercial property insurance covers the barn structure itself, meaning both the building loss and the animal loss are addressed through separate but coordinated coverage.

  • A purebred breeding sow is stolen from a remote hog operation.

    The risk

    A small specialty hog producer loses a high-value registered breeding sow to theft from an unattended facility. The sow represented several seasons of planned litters, and replacing a comparable animal at her stage of production takes time and significant cost.

    How this coverage helps

    With theft included as an added peril on the livestock mortality policy, the producer receives a payout based on the sow's insured value. The funds cover the purchase of a replacement animal and offset part of the delayed breeding schedule.

Frequently asked questions

Does livestock mortality insurance cover animals that die of old age or natural causes?
No. Livestock mortality insurance covers premature death from non-natural causes: accidents, injuries, illness, disease, disability, and certain weather events. Animals that die at or near the end of their natural lifespan from natural causes fall outside the scope of these policies. If you are unsure whether a cause of death would be covered, reviewing the policy language with us before a loss occurs is the right time to clarify that.
How is the insured value of my animals determined?
Insured value generally reflects current market value, but for animals with significant training investment, registered bloodlines, or production records, the value can be documented at a higher figure with proper appraisal or purchase records. A well-trained competition horse or a registered seed stock bull is worth more to replace than a generic market animal, and the policy limit should reflect that. We help you think through how to document and set values accurately when placing coverage.
Can I insure a single high-value horse or do I need a full herd?
Single-animal policies exist, particularly for horses and other high-value individual animals. The premium for a single animal versus a herd will differ, but insurability is not contingent on having large numbers. If you own one horse that represents a meaningful financial asset, that animal is worth evaluating for individual mortality coverage.
What livestock operations in the Treasure Valley typically buy this coverage?
Dairy operations, beef cattle ranches, hog producers, sheep and goat farmers, and horse operations are the most common buyers in the Treasure Valley. We also place coverage for small specialty operations, alpaca farms, and working dog training programs. If your revenue depends on the health and productivity of specific animals, the conversation about mortality coverage is worth having regardless of how mainstream your operation is.
How does livestock mortality insurance interact with my existing farm policy?
A standard farm and ranch policy typically covers your structures, equipment, and general farm liability, but it does not provide meaningful coverage for the economic loss of an individual animal's death. Livestock mortality coverage fills that gap by treating your animals as the revenue-generating assets they are. The two policies are designed to work alongside each other, not duplicate each other.
Does Bittick write livestock mortality coverage for operations outside Idaho?
Yes. Bittick is licensed in CA, CO, ID, NV, OR, TX, VA, and WA, and we work with carriers that write agricultural and livestock coverage across those states. Our San Antonio office serves agricultural and ranch operations in the Texas Hill Country and the San Antonio metro region. Wherever your operation is located within our licensed states, we can shop the right carriers for your specific animal type and operation size.

Get a Quote for Your Livestock Operation

Tell us about your animals and your operation and we will find the carriers and coverage structure that fit what you actually need.

Don't like forms? Contact us at 208-609-3511 or email us.