Agricultural Losses and Forensic Engineering

Your agricultural policyholders may submit claims for a variety of losses to farm vehicles, outbuildings, and other equipment. A farm relies on everything operating as intended to keep things running smoothly, so whether you’re handling claims for a large-scale commercial operation or a family plot, an accurate resolution is key to making them whole.

Adjusters trust the specialized knowledge Donan’s licensed forensic engineers bring to every assessment for a cause of loss determination rooted in the scientific method. Here are a few of the agricultural property types our experts are qualified to inspect.

Farms are home to unique equipment and structures that demand a deep understanding of onsite evidence, research, and codes.

Agricultural Vehicles

Farm vehicle claims can come across your desk for any number of reasons. For instance, running over a rock can damage internal elements of combines or tractors, or operators may notice engine trouble. If the claimed damage deals with the inner workings of the vehicles, an assessment by a mechanical engineer is appropriate.

Vehicles may also be impacted by foreign objects like other vehicles and debris carried by floodwater, which can occur even in landlocked regions. Sometimes, a forensic engineer will examine equipment even if it isn’t included in a claim, since metal on vehicles may serve as a collateral indicator in structural hail claims.

Vehicles like this tractor may be part of the claimed equipment, or they may serve as collateral evidence in structural claims.

You might also receive fire claims for agricultural vehicles. As part of Alpine Intel’s suite of services, the Donan team is supported by a variety of experts. While our mechanical engineers can determine whether the fire caused functional damage, fire investigators at National Fire Experts can deliver the most plausible origin and cause.

Structures

Donan’s structural engineers often assess houses, office buildings, and garages, but they’re also qualified to inspect barns, silos, and animal housing. In many ways, these structures are susceptible to similar losses to other buildings, such as storm damage, settlement, water intrusion, and roofing losses. Some may require unique considerations depending on their function as feed storage or animals’ living quarters.

Silos like this one and other farm buildings are vulnerable to many of the same perils as other structures, but their design and applicable regulations often require specialized knowledge.

While most residential and commercial structures are governed by the International Building Code, some agricultural outbuildings are built with consideration to different regulations. An expert familiar with the applicable guidelines is essential to an accurate cause of loss determination for these properties.

Miscellaneous Equipment

Many farms employ various equipment for convenience and efficiency. When these systems fail to operate as designed, Donan’s mechanical engineers are uniquely qualified to determine what went wrong.

The most commonly employed system type on large-scale farms is irrigation, a crucial element to operations. Possible causes of loss include sand entering the system and clogging it, flooding or soil settlement causing damage to the pipes, leakage from overpressurization or foreign object impact, and storm damage.

Irrigation systems may include elements above and below ground, making them susceptible to a variety of losses for which a mechanical engineer should assess.

Because many components of irrigation systems are exposed to the elements, engineers rely heavily on a variety of considerations to reach their conclusions. Their expertise about the equipment and onsite observations factor heavily into assessments, but in claims where weather is the stated cause of loss, research is just as important. Weather data can support or eliminate wind as a cause of loss, for example. In situations where lightning is suspected, engineers can request a StrikeCheck lightning verification report to confirm or exclude the presence of lightning in the area on the date of loss.

If you’re looking for an accurate resolution to your agricultural claims, learn more about how Donan’s forensic engineers can help you with questions about these properties or submit an assignment.

Alpine Intel’s content is meant to inform and educate readers using general terms and descriptions. They do not replace expert evaluations that determine facts and details related to each unique claim.