March 13, 2019, Winnipeg, Manitoba – The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) today released its report, “Safety & Health Insurance Available and Farmer Insurance Needs”. This first-of-its-kind report examines health and disability available to Canadian farmers.
The report underscores the availability of health insurance through both provincial farm organizations and from insurance carriers. Nearly all provincial farm organizations across Canada offer health insurance plans to their members. The report also details the uptake of the provincial farm health insurance plans to be fairly low, from as much as 5% of members, to as low as under 1%.
“The report was commissioned in order to gain a better understanding of what insurance farmers can access and to identify any gaps in that insurance,” says Marcel Hacault, CASA’s Executive Director. “We were surprised to find that insurance plans are readily available to farmers through farm groups and other means.”
The report also recommends comparing farmer health insurance uptake to that of other small businesses. Expense, complexity, and employee retention are all factors that small businesses, including farms, contend with in making decisions on purchasing health insurance.
Other highlights of the report include:
- Mental Health insurance coverage is a significant unmet need.
- Disability insurance is needed but is undervalued by farmers.
- Disability plans and workers compensation plans may have limitations for farmers.
The executive summary is available at casa-acsa.ca and the full report is available upon request.
The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health and safety of farmers, their families and agricultural workers. CASA is funded in part through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal, provincial and territorial initiative and receives additional support from the agricultural and corporate sectors. For more information, visit www.casa-acsa.ca, find us on Facebook or LinkedIn or follow us on Twitter @planfarmsafety.
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For more information, please contact:
Robin Anderson, Communications Coordinator
204-275-8870
randerson@casa-acsa.ca
