Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search

Help for those affected by flood

Visit nema.gov.au.

Close
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Minister
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Agriculture and land
    Agriculture and land Building stronger and more sustainable agriculture, fisheries, forestry and land care.
    • Animal health
    • Farming, food and drought
    • Fisheries
    • Forestry
    • Climate change and agriculture
    • Plant health
    • Drought and rural support
    • Mouse infestation advice
    Xylella

    Protect against unwanted plant pests

    Our biosecurity system helps protects us. Everyone has a role in supporting our biosecurity system.

    Find out more

  • Biosecurity and trade
    Biosecurity and trade Lowering biosecurity risks to Australia, and assisting industry to accelerate growth towards a $100 billion agricultural sector by 2030.
    • Aircraft, vessels and military
    • Biosecurity policy
    • Cats and dogs
    • Exporting
    • Importing
    • Pests, diseases and weeds
    • Public awareness and education
    • Trade and market access
    • Travelling or sending goods to Australia
    Brown marmorated stink bug

    BMSB Seasonal Measures

    Australia has strengthened seasonal measures to manage the risk of BMSB.

    View our seasonal measures

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES)
    • Our science strategy
    Abares

    ABARES Insights

    Get 'snapshots’ of agricultural, forestry and fisheries industries, or analysis of key issues.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us We enhance our agricultural industries and trade, and manage the threat of biosecurity risks to Australia.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Contact us
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • Payments
    • People and jobs
    • Publications
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    Read more about our Budget

    Budget October 2022-23

    The 2022–23 October Portfolio Budget Statements were released on 25 October 2022.

    Find out more

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Agriculture

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Agriculture and land
  3. Farming, food and drought
  4. Drought and rural support
  5. Assistance measures
  6. Managing Farm Risk Program
  7. Information for providers of insurance advice and services to farmers

Sidebar first - Farming

  • Managing Farm Risk Program
    • Feasibility of agricultural insurance products in Australia for weather-related production risks
    • Information for providers of insurance advice and services to farmers
    • Questions and answers

Information for providers of insurance advice and services to farmers

​Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, May 2016

Download

DocumentPagesFile size
Information for providers of insurance advice and services to farmers factsheet PDF 2324 KB

If you have difficulty accessing this file, visit web accessibility for assistance.

Online version

Key points for service providers

  • Activities eligible for a rebate include undertaking an assessment required by an insurance provider; compiling farm financial performance and production data; and preparing an analysis of insurance options in the context of a whole-of-farm risk assessment.

  • Service providers need to be suitably qualified in order for their service to qualify for a rebate.

  • Services must represent value for money and the final written advice must be fit for purpose.

  • Invoices and/or remittance advice must include the full details of the service provider and the farm business, as well as details of the services provided.

Information for providers of insurance advice and services to farmers

The Managing Farm Risk Program provides rebates to farmers for insurance advice and assessments to help them prepare and apply for a new insurance policy that assists with the management of drought and other production and market risks.

These one-off rebates cover half of the costs incurred by eligible farm businesses, up to a maximum of $2 500 (GST exclusive).

  • This fact sheet will assist you as a provider of insurance advice and services to understand the operation of the program and what is expected of you. It should be read in conjunction with the program guidelines.
  • A separate fact sheet is available for farm businesses.

Eligible activities

Eligible farm businesses can apply for a rebate of the costs of engaging suitably qualified service providers to carry out one or more of these activities:

  • undertaking an assessment required by an insurance provider prior to, or within 12 months of, the provider offering an insurance product
  • compiling historical farm financial performance and production data
  • preparing an analysis of insurance options in the context of a whole-of-farm risk assessment specific to the farm business applicant over successive seasons.

The rebates are not for insurance policy premiums, general accountancy, taxation or agronomy services, or general financial or business planning advice.
One rebate application per eligible farm business can be made for costs incurred from 1 July 2015.

Types of insurance

To claim a rebate, farm businesses must secure, or attempt to secure, a new or additional insurance policy covering a peril or climatic event that the farm business has not insured against within the last five years. The types of insurance under this program are limited to:

  • multi-peril insurance products
  • parametric products based on rainfall or other climate factors
  • other single-peril products, such as fire, hail and frost insurance.

The purchase of regular farm business insurance, such as property and contents, vehicle cover or liability insurance, will not be accepted as part of applications for a rebate under this program.

Requirements of service providers

The types of service providers who could assist with insurance advice and assessments include, but are not limited to, insurance providers, insurance brokers, farm advisors and accountants. To be considered a suitably qualified service provider for the purpose of this program, you must:

  • be independent from the farm business applicant
  • hold a relevant licence or qualification and sufficient industry experience relating to the type of advice or service you are providing
  • have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
  • hold current professional indemnity insurance.

Providing advice

The quality of the service and the written advice you provide must represent value for money. These scenarios provide examples of the type of written advice you should provide to farm businesses who undertake one of the eligible activities.

  • The farm business selects an insurance product that best meets its needs. The provider of this particular product requires the farm business to undergo an assessment before they're offered a policy. Regardless of whether or not a policy is offered, the farm business should receive written advice that includes the data and analysis used to inform the assessment.

  • Where an insurance provider requires financial or production history data over a number of successive seasons (typically 5-10), the farm business uses an accountant and/or farm advisor to compile data on the farm's performance. The expected output would be comprehensive data tables—made available in various formats—that the farm business could supply to their insurance provider.

  • Where a farm business is uncertain about its insurance needs, a licensed insurance broker is engaged to prepare an analysis of insurance options specific to the farm business. The final written advice should include a whole-of-farm risk assessment that includes advice on insurance options to manage or reduce the identified risks.

Please note: For audit and compliance purposes the department may request additional evidence from applicants to substantiate their eligibility. This may include a copy of the final written advice provided by you for which the rebate was made.

Invoice requirements

Farm business applicants must include evidence of expenditure from their chosen service provider/s with their application. The invoice you provide must include your full details (including ABN) and those of the farm business. The services you provide must also be clearly identifiable as eligible activities on the invoice.

For more information you can email the Managing Farm Risk Program team or phone 1800 837 857 (toll free).


The Managing Farm Risk Program is delivered by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources as part of the Australian Government's Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper, the government's plan for stronger farmers and a stronger economy.

General enquiries

Call 1800 900 090

Contact us online

Report a biosecurity concern

Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI
Last updated: 04 November 2019

© Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.