Topic- Livestock Insurance In India

Conditions For Insurance

Livestock owner required to fulfill the following conditions in regard to the animals intended to be insured:
 * Provide suitable housing accommodation having byers with sufficient space for manger, water troughs and suitable housing in case of poultry.
 * Offer good and balance feed to the animal.
 * Animals should be free from ecto and endo-parasites and be treated periodically for parasites.
 * Animals must be protected against bacterial and viral diseases like anthrax, black quarter, haemorrhargic septicaemia and foot and mouth disease.

Requirements for Livestock Insurance

Health Certificate: It is obligatory on the part of the owner to produce a certificate from a qualified veterinarian to the effect that his animal is healthy and free from any disease. the owner is required to pay a fee for this certificate as per prevailing rates or as prescribed by government/insurance company.

Identification of Animals

The identification of the insured animal is of great importance and must be done throughout and and faithfully. Emphasis has to be given to the breed,age,sex,body colour,shape of horns,height,identification marks. Tagging must be done by a veterinarian.


 * The animal owner should note the ear tag number of his animal.

preserved and this must be reported to the bank or insurance company in writing.
 * If the ear tag falls or is lost due to tearing of ears while rubbing,the fallen tag should be
 * When an insured animals dies its ear tag is valuables proof and must be reported to the bank or insurance company in writing.

Principle of No tag-No claim Now a days insurance companies have adopted the principle of no claim i.e no claims is paid if the specific ear is not submitted. Thus, timely retagging of the animal is  very important whenever its tag is lost or falls.

Insurance Policy

Livestock can be through to type of policy: Proposal-cum-Policy and Master policy agreement. 1) Proposal-cum-policy : The owner is required to fill the proforma called "proposal-cum-policy with recipient and veterinary certificate" after obtaining the health certificate. This proforma may be filled by the authorized agent of insurance company and by a qualified veterinarian. The proforma contain information about:


 * 1) Owner- his name, address and occupation


 * 1) Period of insurance


 * 1) Particulars of animal- species,breed,sex,colour,age,identification marks,height,purposefor which   used, total number of calving, date of last calving, present market value and sum for which to be insured.


 * 1) location of dairy farm.


 * 1) Premium amount.


 * 1) Cause of loss and number of animal lost during past three years.


 * 1) Special remarks if any.

As soon as the accident occur the owner must report to the nearest police station and obtain receipt for the same. the receipt is an important document to be included in the claim papers. A certificate from the attending qualified veterinarian and the treatment chart indicating detailed treatment given to an insured animal must be obtained and attached with the claim papers.

How to Proceed for the Insurance Claim


 * 1) In case of death of insured animal,the owner must intimate in writing to the concern insurance company at once and get a receipt for the same.


 * 1) In case purchase of the animal has been financed bya bank he must informed the bank cincerned and get a receipt from the same.


 * 1) If the animal died on the holiday, the message must be sent telegraphically/ personally to the branch manager. The receipt of the telegram must be preserved as proof.


 * 1) The owner, after intimating the insurance company/bank, should wait for on the spot verification to be conducted by the representative of the insurance company and arrange for a postmortem.


 * 1) The carcass should be removed for post-mortem by the local chamar with the instruction by a veterinarian and to collect a piece of the ear tag, which will be submitted to the insurance company


 * 1) Sometimes insured animal dies at such a place where it is not possible to get the post mortem conducted by a qualified veterinarian. In such circumstances some insured companies accept a joint certificate issued by any two of the following:


 * Village Sarpanch


 * Manager of the milk collection centre.


 * Officer of cooperative central bank/ supervisor of DRDA or its inspector.

Requirement of post mortem has been waived in cases of animals financed under government schemes and in such cases if the post mortem examination has been conducted,then a death certificate sighned jointly by any of the following two persons will be sufficient:


 * 1) Attending veterinary doctor


 * 1) Sarpanch/pardhan


 * 1) official/chairman of Milk Cooperative Society.


 * 1) Official of DRDA


 * 1) Manager of a bank other than the financing bank or other village cooperative.

The total claim documents required by insurance companies in urban and rural areas are as follows:

Urban Area


 * 1) Livestock claim Form


 * 1) Veterinary certificate


 * 1) Treatment Chart


 * 1) Post-mortem Report


 * 1) Valuation certificate


 * 1) Photographs


 * 1) Post-mortem confirmation certificate.


 * 1) Police report, if any

Remote Area


 * 1) Livestock claim form.


 * 1) Two certificate signed by


 * 1) Village Head (Surpanch)


 * 1) Chairman cooperative society


 * 1) Manager of Milk Collective Centre


 * 1) Officer of Cooperative Central Bank/Supervisor of DRDA or Inspector


 * 1) Panchnama


 * 1) Valuation Certificate


 * 1) Police Report, if any.

The above document should be submitted to insurance company for necessary action for payment. Sometimes these document are sent through financing bank which pursues the claim for payment.

Useful links regarding Animal Insurance

References:

Book title: Veterinary Jurisprudence And Post-mortem, third Edition, page no.605-614

Authors  : Y.P.S Dabas, O.P. Saxena, Ranum Dabas