208-609-3511 daniel@bittickinsurance.com

Shellfish farm insurance is a bundle of commercial coverages designed specifically for aquaculture operations that grow, harvest, and sell shellfish, oysters, clams, mussels, or similar species. A single commercial property or farm policy rarely covers the combination of watercraft, live aquatic inventory, marine employer liability, and on-road transport that most shellfish operations depend on every day. Bittick Insurance Services is an independent agency licensed in CA, CO, ID, NV, OR, TX, VA, and WA, and we place coverage with multiple carriers to match the right policy structure to your operation's actual risk profile.

What this coverage includes

Commercial property for buildings and equipment

Your processing shed, cold storage, sorting equipment, tanks, and cages are business assets that need protection against fire, windstorm, theft, and other covered perils. Commercial property insurance covers the physical structures and equipment you own or lease at your farm site. Without it, replacing a salt-water-corroded aerator system or a damaged processing building comes entirely out of your pocket.

Commercial hull coverage for your watercraft

Commercial hull insurance covers physical damage to the boats, skiffs, barges, and other vessels you use to tend and harvest your beds. This is distinct from auto coverage and distinct from liability coverage: it protects the vessel itself when it collides with debris, runs aground, or is damaged in a storm. If your harvest depends on that boat being operational, hull coverage is not optional.

Aquatic livestock coverage

Your shellfish inventory is a living crop, and standard property policies do not cover it. Livestock coverage for aquaculture operations can protect against the loss of shellfish due to named perils such as pollution events, disease outbreaks, severe storms, or theft. The specific perils covered depend on the carrier and the policy form, so the wording of your policy matters a great deal here.

Protection and indemnity, plus maritime employer liability

Protection and indemnity (P&I) insurance covers maritime liability risks: damage your vessel causes to another boat, a dock, or a third party. It does not cover workers' compensation. For crew injuries, you need maritime employers liability insurance, commonly called Jones Act coverage. Under the Jones Act, an injured seaman can sue an employer for negligence, and those claims can be expensive. This coverage pays for defense costs and awards arising from crew injury, illness, or death.

General liability and business-side coverages

General liability insurance covers bodily injury or property damage your business causes to third parties, such as a visitor injured at your farm, or product damage claims from a wholesale buyer. Beyond general liability, most shellfish operations also benefit from commercial auto coverage for vehicles used to transport product on public roads, cyber liability if you manage digital customer or financial records, and employment practices liability to address claims of discriminatory hiring or termination practices.

Pairs well with

Commercial Hull Insurance

Covers physical damage to your harvest and tender vessels. A shellfish operation without hull coverage is one grounding away from losing its primary harvest tool.

Protection and Indemnity (P&I) Insurance

Covers maritime liability to third parties, including damage your vessel causes to other boats, docks, or waterway property. Pairs directly with hull coverage.

Commercial Auto Insurance

Covers vehicles used to transport shellfish to processors, distributors, or markets. Personal auto policies exclude business use, so a separate commercial policy is required.

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General Liability Insurance

Covers third-party bodily injury and property damage claims arising from your farm operations, including product liability exposure when shellfish leave your facility.

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Cyber Liability Insurance

If you process card payments, manage wholesale accounts digitally, or store customer data, cyber liability covers financial losses from a breach or ransomware event.

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Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI)

Covers defense costs and settlements from employee claims of discrimination, wrongful termination, or harassment. Relevant for any operation with seasonal or full-time crew.

What this coverage protects against

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

  • A pollution event destroys an entire oyster lease bed before harvest.

    The risk

    An agricultural runoff event introduces contaminants into the water column near your lease. State regulators close the area, and your oyster inventory, which was weeks from market size, is declared a total loss. The financial hit covers not just the seed investment but months of water-column management labor.

    How this coverage helps

    Aquatic livestock coverage under your shellfish farm policy can reimburse the value of the destroyed inventory when the loss is caused by a covered pollution peril. The policy form will specify which contamination events qualify, which is why reviewing the named-peril list with a Bittick advisor before you bind coverage matters.

  • Your harvest skiff runs aground and takes on water.

    The risk

    An outgoing tide drops faster than expected and your tender skiff grounds hard on a rocky shoal. The hull is breached and the outboard is destroyed. Without that vessel, you cannot tend your grow lines during a critical feeding window.

    How this coverage helps

    Commercial hull insurance covers physical damage to the vessel and its motor up to the agreed value in the policy. A working hull claim gets your boat repaired or replaced so the harvest window is not lost entirely.

  • A crew member is injured on the water and files a Jones Act claim.

    The risk

    A deckhand slips on a wet sorting surface while working on your tender vessel and suffers a broken wrist. Under the Jones Act, a seaman can hold an employer liable for negligence aboard a vessel. The claim includes medical costs, lost wages, and general damages, and defense costs start accumulating immediately.

    How this coverage helps

    Maritime employers liability insurance, also called Jones Act coverage, pays your legal defense and any covered award or settlement. Without it, a single crew injury claim could exceed the value of your entire vessel.

  • Your delivery truck is rear-ended while hauling live clams to a distributor.

    The risk

    One of your drivers is stopped at a light on the way to a regional seafood distributor when a distracted driver hits the truck from behind. The vehicle is damaged, the driver is shaken up, and the live clam shipment is compromised by the impact and delay.

    How this coverage helps

    A commercial auto policy covers vehicle damage and third-party liability from the accident. It also ensures that the driver's medical expenses are addressed through the appropriate coverage, which a personal auto policy would exclude the moment the vehicle was being used for business.

  • A buyer claims your product made their customers sick.

    The risk

    A restaurant that purchased a batch of your oysters contacts you claiming multiple diners reported gastrointestinal illness. They are alleging the shellfish were not properly handled and are threatening legal action for damages, reputation harm, and lost business.

    How this coverage helps

    General liability insurance, including the products and completed operations component, covers defense costs and any covered damages from a third-party bodily injury claim tied to your product. Your carrier handles the defense; you focus on your operation.

  • A storm destroys your processing shed mid-season.

    The risk

    A late-summer storm with sustained high winds takes off part of your processing shed roof and damages the floor-mounted sorting and grading equipment inside. Your peak harvest season is underway and the facility is not usable.

    How this coverage helps

    Commercial property insurance covers the cost to repair the structure and replace or repair damaged equipment. If your policy includes business interruption coverage, it can also reimburse lost income during the period your operation is shut down for repairs.

  • A former seasonal employee files a discrimination claim.

    The risk

    A seasonal worker you did not rehire the following year files a complaint alleging the decision was discriminatory. Even if the claim is without merit, defending against it requires legal counsel and time that takes you away from running your operation.

    How this coverage helps

    Employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) covers attorney fees, court costs, and any covered settlement for employment-related claims including wrongful termination and discrimination allegations. It applies even when the claim is ultimately unfounded.

  • A ransomware attack locks you out of your wholesale billing records.

    The risk

    Your farm office computer is encrypted by ransomware. Your wholesale invoicing database, buyer contacts, and accounts receivable records are inaccessible. The attacker demands payment to restore access, and your accountant cannot tell you what is owed or by whom.

    How this coverage helps

    Cyber liability insurance covers costs related to ransomware attacks including data recovery, business interruption losses during the outage, and notification costs if customer data was exposed. The carrier assigns a response team; you do not navigate this alone.

Frequently asked questions

What does Jones Act insurance actually cover for my crew?
Jones Act insurance, formally called maritime employers liability insurance, covers claims from seamen who are injured, become ill, or die while working aboard your vessel due to negligence by the employer or a fellow crew member. It pays your legal defense costs and any covered damages the court awards. It is separate from standard workers' compensation and from protection and indemnity insurance, both of which cover different risks.
Does standard farm insurance cover my shellfish inventory if disease wipes out my beds?
Standard farm property policies typically do not cover live aquatic livestock. You need an aquatic livestock or aquaculture-specific livestock endorsement that names disease as a covered peril. Not all carriers include disease automatically, so the specific policy language matters. Bittick reviews the named-peril list with you before binding so you know exactly what triggers a payout.
Do I need separate coverage for my boats, or does my property policy cover them?
Boats and watercraft are generally excluded from commercial property policies above a low value threshold. You need commercial hull insurance to cover the vessel itself. Hull coverage is a separate marine product that covers physical damage from collision, grounding, storm, and other watercraft-specific perils. If you rely on your vessels to harvest, this is a critical gap to close.
How much does shellfish farm insurance typically cost?
There is no flat rate. Premiums depend on the size of your operation, the number and value of your vessels, the size of your livestock inventory, your payroll, your claims history, and the specific coverages you carry. A small inshore clam operation carries very different exposure than a multi-vessel oyster farm with a processing facility. Bittick shops your account with multiple carriers to find competitive pricing for the coverage structure you actually need.
Is Bittick able to write shellfish farm coverage outside of Idaho?
Yes. Bittick is licensed in CA, CO, ID, NV, OR, TX, VA, and WA. Aquaculture operations along the Pacific Northwest coast, for example, are a natural fit given Oregon and Washington's shellfish industry. Reach out to the Eagle, Idaho office or the San Antonio, Texas office, whichever is more convenient, and we will confirm whether we can place coverage in your state.
What is protection and indemnity insurance, and why do I need it if I already have hull coverage?
Hull coverage pays for damage to your own vessel. Protection and indemnity (P&I) insurance covers liability to others: damage your boat causes to another vessel, a dock, or marine infrastructure, plus legal liability for third-party injuries on or around your watercraft. The two policies work together. Hull without P&I leaves you personally exposed for third-party claims, which can easily exceed the value of the boat itself.

Talk to Bittick about your shellfish farm coverage

Tell us about your operation and we will put together a coverage comparison from multiple carriers so you can make an informed decision.

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