Vosters Insurance, Inc., one of the leading nursery crop insurance agencies in the United States. We specialize in providing Multiple Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI) sponsored by the US Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency (RMA) that protects container and field grown plant nurseries against adverse weather conditions and diseases with no known cure.

The mission of our agency is to serve the US horticultural nursery Industry by providing risk management solutions for wholesale nursery growers. Deciding on an insurance agent can be frustrating and confusing. You want someone who will provide insight, service, and recommendations. You need an agent that will always be there when you need them. Vosters Insurance is an organization that takes pride in providing timely personal service.

We are independent insurance agency who partners with Hudson Insurance Group, Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Approved Insurance Providers (AIP). Hudson Insurance provides inspection, direct billing, and claims adjusting services for crop coverage written by our agency.

We take a needs based approach when working with nurserymen, using clear, easy-to-understand explanations and examples, to lead them through a straight forward analysis of costs and coverages available. This allows growers to choose a coverage level that meets their specific needs and budgets.

We've included useful information on this site about the USDA Risk Management Agency’s Nursery Crop Insurance Program.

Call or email us today and we will give you details on steps to successfully insure your plant and/or tree nursery.

About Hudson Insurance

Nursery Crop Insurance - FG&C (0073)

Eligible Plants

• All container and field grown plants listed on the government’s Eligible Plant List (EPL) for each county must be insured
• The EPL is available as part of the nursery software (link goes to nursery software page) by region of the country
• Grown by a nursery that receives 40% of its gross income from the wholesale marketing of nursery plants
• Grown in an appropriate medium
• Containers containing 2 or more different genera, species, subspecies or cultivars are not insurable
• Plants grown as stock plants are not insurable.

Important Dates

• The insurance policy begins 30 days after the insurance provider receives your signed application. For subsequent crop years the insurance period begins June 1 and continues through May 31 of the following year.
• The sales closing date is May 1 before the current crop year.

Insured Causes of Loss

• Adverse weather conditions (wind, hail, flood, excess rain), and freeze or cold if required winterization protection measures are utilized
• Fire (from a natural cause provided weeds and undergrowth are controlled)
• Wildlife
• Earthquake or Volcanic Eruption
• Failure of the irrigation or power supply due to an insured cause of loss
• Collapse or failure of building structure due to an insured cause of loss
• Loss of plant value because of an inability to market plants due to an insured cause of loss
• Disease or insect infestation (if no effective control exists)

Amount of Insurance

• The amount of insurable inventory is determined by the Grower, based on reported sizes and quantities, calculated in the Database Nursery Software that we provide.
• Reported inventory values must be substantiated by purchase and sales receipts at loss time, within a 10% threshold to avoid cancellation of coverage
• The amount of insurance is determined by multiplying the value of the insurable inventory by the selected coverage level times the price election.

Premiums and Subsidies

• Premium billed on March 1st (9 months after policy inception).
• Government subsidies: Coverage Level 50% 55% 60% 65% 70% 75%, Premium Subsidy 67% 64% 64% 59% 59% 55% Respectively, Your Premium Share 33% 36% 36% 42% 41% 45%

Coverage Levels

• Coverage levels available 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, or 75% levels (loses paid at 100% of the lowest wholesale price after meeting deductible).
• 12 Plant Types exist for Field Grown and 15 Plant types for Container Grown. Each can be insured at different coverage levels when buy-up coverage is purchased.

Deductible

• Aggregate annual percentage deductibles of 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, or 50% (100 minus the coverage level) Deductible percentage is of Actual Inventory at time of loss, not of the loss.

Insurable Plant Types

• Deciduous Trees • Coniferous Evergreen Trees • Coniferous Evergreen Shrubs • Ground Cover and Vines • Annuals (container) • Broadleaf Evergreen Trees • Broadleaf Evergreen Shrubs • Small Fruits • Foliage • Herbaceous Perennials (container) • Fruit & Nut Trees • Deciduous Shrubs • Roses • Palms & Cycads • Liners 1" to <3" (container)

Units by Plant Type (Available with buy-up coverage only)

• Option treats each plant group as its own nursery unit with its own deductible.
• If a grower has a particular plant group that is more susceptible to a peril such as cold than other plant groups, the option is advantageous because in the event of a claim, only the deductible for that damaged plant group must be met, not the deductible for the entire nursery.

Price List or Catalog

• All insurable plants grown in the nursery must be listed by the common or botanical name on the nursery price list or catalog with your wholesale price or catalog
• At a minimum, your wholesale catalog or price list must:
• Be type-written and legible
• Show an issue date on the cover page (may be handwritten)
• Contain the name, address, phone number of your nursery
• Be provided to customers and used in the sale of your plants
• List each plants name (scientific or common), plant or container size and wholesale price

Optional Endorsements (Available with buy-up coverage only)

Peak Inventory Endorsement:
• Designed for growers whose inventory fluctuates significantly during the year.
• Permits the grower to pay the premium for higher inventory values only when the grower actually has the higher values in stock.
• Only one peak per plant type per crop year permitted.
• Maximum amount of insurance is 200% of the reported inventory value for the plant type on the base policy.
Rehabilitation Endorsement:
• Available only for field-grown material
• For each occurrence rehabilitation cost must be at least the lesser of 2% of the total value of the inventory for the plant type or $5,000.
• Provides supplemental payment to cover some rehabilitation costs, but is limited to expenditures for labor and materials for pruning and set-up, depending on coverage level due to a covered peril.
Grower's Price Endorsement:
• Available in states of: AR,CT,FL,GA,KY,LA,MA,MD,MS,NC,NJ,NY,OR,PA,SC,TN,VA and WA
• Permits you to increase inventory values on your Plant Inventory Value Report (PIVR) by valuing your plants above the price on the DataScape Plant Price Schedule up to a maximum of your wholesale price as published in your pricelist.
• Must document upgraded price with current receipts
• Upgrade Plant report must be submitted by sales closing date or with application


This nursery crop outline does not contain every feature, exclusion and limitation. If there is any inconsistency between the policy and this information, the policy will prevail.