Searching high & low for cannabis growers insurance?
Green expectations. If you are among the many budding entrepreneurs in the Canadian cannabis industry, you are part of a major new industry with great growth potential. In order to even start growing cannabis, there are a number of steps that you need to undertake. First and foremost, cannabis growers require a licence from Health Canada. Your licence is needed in order to grow cannabis for sale, to make cannabis products, to sell cannabis for medical purposes, and to do testing or research with cannabis.1 And, like any other commercial business venture, specialized insurance for cannabis growers is an essential step in managing your risks.
Starting up as a cannabis grower? What to know.
Growing any cash crop is a risky venture. As a cannabis grower, you are putting down roots in a bold new consumer products industry and face unique regulatory hurdles. CBC News recently interviewed a cannabis industry expert who outlined some of the key elements that cannabis growers need to keep in mind:
- “Health Canada needs security clearance for key staff members, including the master grower, head of security, quality-control, and somebody named as the “responsible person” — essentially, a CEO.
- RCMP will take a deep dive into five years of their history: past addresses, international travel and a criminal record check, including fingerprints.
- The proposed facility will also be scrutinized, including its floor plan and security details that outline camera placements, physical barriers, access controls for entries and exits and an intrusion detection system.
- Record-keeping will also be scrutinized.
- Health Canada will likely come back with requests for more information about certain details of the applications it sees.
- Applicants will eventually need to produce an evidence package, which shows you’ve turned those plans into brick and mortar.
- The federal government will need to see municipal officials have approved any development or zoning permits associated with the business.
- Officials want to see two crops, to make sure the product reaches an acceptable level twice in a row.”2
Growing cannabis is a complicated business venture. This is why ALIGNED offers specific insurance for cannabis growers.
If and when things go sideways, your cannabis growers insurance is designed to respond to a potential lawsuit or other claims situation. Our insurance for cannabis growers has been built from the ground up to provide Canadian cannabis growers with the best coverage options.
From seed to harvest. The many risks that cannabis insurance can cover.
Regulatory hurdles are one thing. The complexities of growing cannabis are another. This is why it is important to connect with an insurance broker who understands the nuances of coverage options that are presently available to cannabis growers. ALIGNED brokers know cannabis risks and have solid experience in finding the best available insurance options for cannabis growers within the Canadian marketplace. Whether you are renewing your business insurance or just starting-up, here are just some of the coverages to consider:
- Crime. Cannabis growers can be the target of criminals as well as employees.
- Cyber Liability. Traditional business liability policies typically explicitly exclude this valuable coverage.
- Directors and Officers. Your board members expect the best protection.
- General Liability. Bodily injury, property damage, products liability, tenants legal liability and more…
- Product Recall Insurance. Recall expenses, replacement costs, lost profits and brand rehabilitation expenses.
- Property Insurance. From buildings to cannabis inventory to property in transit and more…
To get your insurance quote rolling, you just need to provide some basic information about your cannabis growing operations, which is collected through our a cannabis growers insurance application.
Good to know. We’re here to grow with you.
ALIGNED insurance brokers understand the specific risks and exposures faced by Canadian cannabis growers. We have relationships with more than 65 of Canada’s top insurance companies, and are able to provide choice and options to each and every one of our clients.
Sources: 1 Government of Canada: Health Canada: Summary Cannabis Licensing Application Guide: Cultivation, Processing and Sale;2 CBC News: What you need to know to start a legal cannabis grow-op; 3 Financial Post: To apply for a licence to grow cannabis in Canada, you now have to have a fully built site ready to go;4 Global News: Want to grow cannabis? University of Guelph offering online course
