Harvest is the time of year where insurance agents see more equipment theft claims. It’s impossible to lock-down the whole farm, but you can take steps to prevent theft by locking up buildings and taking the keys out of equipment.
These are among the tips from Craig Kamholz, a Rural Mutual Insurance agent in Green County. His advice — don’t make it easy for thieves. He says equipment theft is more common during the harvest since farmers are likely to leave machinery in the field.
“Our farmers have to move their product, so when they’re combing corn or soybeans, once the combine is full, thy put it in wagons, hauls it close to the road, and then unload it into a semi and haul it back to their farm or to a grain elevator,” he explains. “So those tractors may sit there for the night.”
To deter thieves from stealing your essential and valuable equipment, lock it up. Park it away from the road so it’s not easy to see. Kamholz also recommends considering security technology like cameras or trackers. Finally, make sure you and your insurance agent have detailed records and proof of ownership.
