Livestock Insurance NZ
Independent information on livestock insurance from leading rural brokers and specialists. Expert guidance for farmers covering cattle, sheep, deer, goat, pig, alpaca and poultry.
Find a livestock insurance specialist
Livestock cover is a specialist area with a small number of providers. Use the options below to find the right adviser or insurer for your situation.
Use a licensed broker
Search IBANZ, the NZ brokers association, to find an adviser who specialises in rural and livestock cover.
Check the FSP register
Verify that any adviser you use holds a current Financial Service Provider registration before engaging them.
Go direct to an insurer
Some livestock insurers deal directly with farmers. Visit their websites to enquire or get a quote from their team.
Are you a livestock insurance specialist?
If you work in rural insurance and cover livestock, we would like to hear from you. hello@cover4you.co.nz
Livestock We Cover
Specialist insurance for every type of livestock — from commercial dairy herds to elite velvet stags and rare breeds.
Coverage Types
From basic mortality cover to comprehensive natural disaster and disease protection — understand your options.
Livestock Mortality Cover
Financial protection if your animals die from accidental causes, disease, or specified weather events.
From $80/year
Learn more →Disease & Illness Cover
Cover for financial losses when livestock suffer from notifiable diseases, illness outbreaks, or government-ordered culling.
Specialist pricing
Learn more →Livestock Transit Insurance
Cover for animals during transport — saleyards, between properties, to processing plants, and at agricultural events.
From $50/year
Learn more →Natural Disaster Cover
Coverage for livestock losses from floods, cyclones, earthquakes, drought and other natural events.
From $60/year
Learn more →Farm & Livestock Liability
Protection if your livestock injure people, damage property, or escape onto roads causing accidents.
From $120/year
Learn more →Livestock Theft Cover
Protection against the theft of livestock from your property — increasingly important as stock theft rises in NZ.
From $50/year
Learn more →How It Works
Getting the right livestock insurance is straightforward when you have a specialist rural adviser in your corner.
Tell us about your farm
Share your livestock types, herd or flock size, location, and what cover you need. Takes 2–3 minutes.
Find a specialist adviser
Use the IBANZ broker search to find a licensed rural insurance adviser with access to the specialist livestock market. You can also go direct to insurers.
Get tailored advice and quotes
Your adviser compares options across the rural insurance market and recommends cover that fits your farm, livestock, and budget.
Latest Guides & News
Expert advice for livestock farmers.
Common Questions
Do I need livestock insurance?
Livestock insurance is not legally required in NZ, but it is strongly recommended for farmers whose livelihood depends on their animals. The cost of being uninsured can be devastating — a single disease outbreak, flood, or road accident can wipe out years of breeding investment.
How does livestock insurance work?
You pay an annual premium to insure your animals. If a covered event occurs (death, disease, theft, etc.), you make a claim and receive compensation up to the insured value, less any excess. Blanket policies cover entire herds at a per-head rate; specified animal policies cover individual high-value animals at an agreed value.
Who are the main livestock insurance providers?
The livestock insurance market is served by specialist rural brokers and international underwriters, including brokers with access to Lloyd's of London markets. Coverage availability and pricing varies by species, location, and risk profile. Some providers deal directly with farmers; others work exclusively through licensed advisers. An independent adviser can compare the options available to your specific operation across the rural market.
What does standard livestock mortality cover include?
Standard mortality cover pays the agreed or market value of your animal if it dies from covered causes — typically accidental death, electrocution, drowning, fire, and specified weather events. Disease deaths and weather event deaths are often covered under separate add-on policies.
Official provider websites
The following brokers and insurers operate in the livestock insurance market. Links go directly to their official websites.
NZI (via Ag Guard)
Via broker only
Rural stock deterioration and rural material damage cover. Division of IAG NZ, available through licensed brokers.
Visit website ↗Gallagher
Agriculture specialist broker offering livestock and bloodstock cover, farm assets, and permanent loss cover. Backed by international markets.
Visit website ↗Aon NZ
Global insurance broker with agribusiness and rural expertise. Access to specialist markets including Lloyd's for high-value or unusual livestock.
Visit website ↗Cover4You is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting as agent for any insurer listed. Some insurers deal with customers directly only.
Looking for livestock cover?
Find a specialist adviser, or contact an insurer directly.
Find a Specialist →