Understanding the difference between livestock mortality cover and disease & illness cover in NZ. Which do you need and how do they work together?
The Difference Between Mortality and Disease Cover
Most farmers understand they can insure their livestock against death — but many don't realise that mortality cover and disease & illness cover are often separate policies with different triggers and payouts.
Mortality Cover: What It Does
Mortality cover pays you the agreed or market value of your animal when it dies from a covered cause. Covered causes typically include:
What mortality cover does NOT typically cover:
Disease & Illness Cover: What It Does
Disease and illness cover compensates farmers for losses attributable to disease outbreaks and serious illness. This typically includes:
The Mycoplasma Bovis Lesson
The Mycoplasma bovis outbreak from 2017 onwards showed farmers exactly why disease cover matters. Farmers without explicit disease & illness cover found themselves:
Should You Have Both?
For most NZ dairy and sheep/beef farmers, the answer is yes. The combination of mortality cover + disease & illness cover provides the comprehensive protection that farm operations require. A specialist adviser can structure both covers efficiently and avoid gaps in protection.
