Beyond Nationwide: Discovering Ohio’s Top Farm Insurance Carriers

As a farmer, you’ve worked tirelessly to build a successful operation, and you deserve a protection plan that truly meets your needs. Finding the right insurance carrier can feel difficult, especially with so many options available. You want a company that has your best interests at heart—one that will be there for you when you need them.

While Nationwide is a market leader in farm insurance, they aren’t the only choice. We have strong relationships with four of Ohio’s top farm insurance carriers, each with a unique approach to serving the agricultural community. Each offers specific benefits, allowing you to tailor a program to your unique farm and family.

A Look at the Ohio Farm Insurance Market

The data below shows the market share of the leading insurance groups in Ohio for Farmowners Multiple Peril policies in 2023.

Source: 2023 Ohio Department of Insurance, Farmowners Multiple Peril Market Share Report.

Ohio Mutual Insurance Group (OMIG)

Ohio Mutual is a financially strong mutual insurance company with a broad portfolio.

We’ve represented Ohio Mutual Insurance Group (OMIG) since the 1970s. We have a longstanding and trustworthy partnership with these fine folks. They’re based out of Bucyrus, Ohio and have a knack for properly insuring farms.

• What they’re known for: A robust network and financial stability.
• Key Differentiator: As a mutual company, they are owned by their policyholders, a structure that often allows them to focus more on customer service and long-term value.
• Ohio Market Share: Held 13.7% of the Ohio farm insurance market in 2023.
• Best for: Farmers seeking a financially strong company with a wide range of coverage options for their farm, home, and auto policies all in one place.

They include all of the basic farm coverages for dwellings, farm buildings, farm equipment, and farm liability available in the marketplace. They have specialty coverage for farms that include Peak Season coverage for stored grain, fertilizer, and seed. Coverage for pollution liability, which includes seepage and spray drift, and can be endorsed onto their farm umbrella plans as well for additional limits of coverage. Other important coverages (in no particular order) include intake of foreign objects, livestock in transit, equine liability, farm cyber liability, rented and leased equipment (including demos), loss of farm income, special form farm personal property coverage, rental reimbursement for equipment, care custody and control, unharvested crop coverage (example: fire in field), custom farming liability, recreational vehicle liability, and a large number of other coverages not mentioned.

We love OMIG! They handle claims professionally, quickly, and offer a great product at a great price. Most of their farm business is in Ohio and Indiana, although they’ve recently expanded to a few New England states and Wisconsin.

Westfield Insurance

For over 170 years, Westfield Insurance Company has been a dedicated partner to the farm industry.

• What they’re known for: Serving a wide variety of agricultural risks, from “farm to fork.”
• Key Differentiator: They cover a vast array of agricultural risks, including wholesalers, processors, and service-related operations.
• Ohio Market Share: Held 9.3% of the Ohio farm insurance market in 2023.
• Best for: Farmers who want the peace of mind that comes from a large, highly-rated company with extensive experience in diverse agricultural risks.

Westfield offers a variety of farm solutions, much like OMIG. They work with small farms all the way up to large corporate operations. They also have a true agribusiness department, which allows them to cover a wide range of field-to-fork business operations. They have insurance products available for farmers producing the grain, dairies milking the cows, meat processing plants, wholesalers, food manufacturers, and even distributors getting the products onto the shelves.

We love Westfield and have represented them since the early 1990’s. They have great people in their office who are from farm country. Their entire company foundation was built by farmers in Northeastern Ohio. That is saying something! They’re licensed throughout the Midwest, and work with farmers from 20+ states.

Celina Insurance Group

Celina has been serving the Midwest with competitive insurance solutions since 1914 out of Celina, Ohio.

They specialize in grain farms, livestock farms, which include beef and hogs, dairy farms, and even poultry operations. Celina can get really competitive on confinement operations when the buildings are 15 years or newer.

• What they’re known for: Balancing competitive pricing with comprehensive, quality coverage.
• Key Differentiator: Their strong Midwestern roots mean they understand the specific needs and risks that Ohio farmers face, providing a blend of affordability and reliable protection.
• Ohio Market Share: Held 4.7% of the Ohio farm insurance market in 2023.
• Best for: Farmers who need a carrier that provides excellent value and a commitment to serving the heartland.

Celina also has a solid option for rural homeowners. These are properties that sit outside of any town or city, typically 2-6 miles from a responding fire department.  A lot of these types of insurance programs include some farm exposures, such as equine, some chicken and egg operations, some farm stands, freezer beef sales, or other hobby farm business exposures, and Celina will insure almost all of them. If you’re willing to place your auto insurance with Celina, they can get ultra-competitive in the rural property insurance plans.

We love Celina! They offer a solid farm plan for small to medium sized farms, which would include operations up to 4000 to 5000 acres or $15mm total insured value at one location.

Wayne Mutual

Last, but certainly not least in my book, is Wayne Mutual Insurance Group. These are some of the most down-to-earth people you will ever meet in the insurance business. While I’ve not met everyone at the company, I’ve met enough to put this stamp of approval on their entire culture as an organization. They truly want to help their clients find a solid farm insurance solution.

Wayne Mutual is an Ohio company with a legacy of providing personal and local service since around 1910.

• What they’re known for: A deep commitment to policyholders and a strong, community-focused approach.
• Key Differentiator: With a history stretching back over a century, Wayne Mutual offers a personal touch and a focus on building long-term relationships with Ohio farmers.
• Ohio Market Share: Held 4.4% of the Ohio farm insurance market in 2023 (as Wayne & Washington Mutual Group).
• Best for: Farmers who prioritize working with a carrier that feels like a local partner with deep community roots.

Wayne has hit stride in recent years, displaying substantial growth, expansion of their agent force, and expanding the number of employees they have. They’re well suited in the farm insurance space and insure thousands of farms across the great state of Ohio. They service livestock operations, grain farm operations, and rural properties well. They’re unique in the fact that they are willing to listen to a story. They can look at an individual risk and make special concessions for that risk that ultimately saves their customers a ton of premium dollars.  They have great flexibility in their new century program, unlike anything else we’ve seen in the marketplace. It’s a great option for rural property owners.

We love everything about Wayne Insurance Group. They have great products, handle claims swiftly and fairly, and genuinely have great people running the company.

Conclusion: Your Partner in Protection

You now have a better understanding of four top-tier farm insurance carriers in Ohio that can provide excellent coverage. The best fit for your farm isn’t about choosing a name; it’s about matching your unique operation with the right carrier’s strengths, appetite, and values.

As an independent insurance agency, we don’t work for any single insurance company. We work for you. We have access to multiple carriers, including those mentioned here, which allows us to compare options and build a comprehensive plan that’s a perfect fit for your farm.

Ready to find out which of these great carriers is the best fit for your farm? Contact Hitchings Insurance today for a no-obligation consultation. We’ll help you make an informed choice to protect your farm and family for the future.