NFU Mutual has pledged a farming and rural community support package worth £32m to help the countryside through the coronavirus pandemic.
The package includes donating millions to charities, as well as rural and mental health causes, to help support the countryside through the crisis.
At a local level, the insurer has set up a £1m Emergency Coronavirus Fund to be released through its agency network to help local charities and communities across the UK.
There will be an added £750,000 donation to the NFU Mutual Charitable Trust, enabling donations of up to £1m to support national organisations.
NFU Mutual is also making a £50,000 donation to affiliated charity, the Farm Safety Foundation, to support and extend its mental health work during this period of isolation.
Elsewhere, the rural insurer is developing a range of insurance cover changes. These will include increased cover for farmers, alongside continued availability of its existing uncollected milk insurance, and free extended public liability cover for farmers selling their own produce directly to the public.
To help the majority of farmers who are self-employed, NFU Mutual has announced it will include insurance for Covid-19 in Personal Accident and Group Personal Accident policies.
The move aims to help keep income flowing in if the farmer and farm workers are unable to work due to contracting coronavirus.
The group is expected to provide £12m worth of pay-outs for members affected by the virus in 2020.
Chairman of NFU Mutual, Jim McLaren, said British farmers and growers are playing a 'vital role' in the national effort, despite facing 'enormous challenges themselves'.
"Adding protection for farmers will support the agricultural industry when the nation needs it most," he said.
"Our wide-ranging £32m support package includes financial support for rural charities, together with additional insurance cover to help our members.
"Our 300 agent offices, based in the heart of our rural communities, will also be distributing funds to local causes."
NFU Mutual has also brought in new procedures to enable claims to be processed and paid quickly and without the need for contact.
It will provide an automatic 15% increase in property sums insured, to ensure customers are protected if an agent or valuations firm cannot access property that may have increased in value during the outbreak. The increase to cover is worth an estimated £24m.
