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Over the past decade, the cannabis industry has been one of the fastest-growing segments of the US economy. With cannabis legalized in some form in states encompassing two-thirds of the US population, the legal cannabis market in the US surged to $10.4 billion in 2018, nearly doubling in the span of just three years.
That number is only expected to grow. With a greater understanding of its medicinal properties, a shift in cultural attitudes and more pressure on states and the federal government to move toward full legalization, experts project that cannabis will be at least a $25 billion-dollar industry in less than ten years.
A Growing Market for Cannabis is Creating Opportunities
As with any burgeoning market, growth in the cannabis industry is creating opportunities for other industries as well, including the insurance industry.
Like any business venture, cannabis business owners have an interest in protecting against loss.
Being a relatively young industry, it can sometimes be difficult to make an accurate assessment of the risks inherent in the cannabis space. Those entering the industry may not know what kind of liability they have or what they need covered. Many insurers may not know either, which is why it is so important for insurance brokers to work with expert underwriters who can help them understand and properly insure those risks.
Calculating Risk in the Cannabis Industry
Cultivators, processors, distributors, and retail stores all have unique risks that need to be considered. At each step in the seed-to-sale chain, the calculations become more complex. Does the grower spray chemicals on the plants that may cause allergic reactions or harmful side effects? What about contamination from common bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella? How is the chain of custody tracked?
If a cannabis dispensary sells edibles, are they produced in a facility that follows FDA and other health regulations? What about liability arising from selling vaporizers whose batteries have been known to explode?
These are just some of the questions that need to be asked when assessing risk and identifying the right insurance coverage. There aren’t always easy answers.
Fortunately, our underwriters at Admiral Insurance Group are experts in assessing liability for all types of businesses in the cannabis industry, helping our broker partners and their clients make sense of their risk, and writing individually tailored policies to meet the needs of each insured.
Learn more about cannabis insurance
Learn more about Admiral's cannabis insurance solutions.
Admiral Insurance Group is a leading underwriter of product liability insurance for businesses in the cannabis industry.
If you are a wholesale broker in need of an insurance partner with deep expertise in the cannabis industry, contact us about becoming an appointed broker. If you are a retail insurance broker with clients such as marijuana dispensaries, cannabis product manufacturers or marijuana growers, we encourage you to connect with one of our wholesale partners.
Products and services are provided by one or more insurance company subsidiaries of W. R. Berkley Corporation. Not all products and services are available in every jurisdiction, and the precise coverage afforded by any insurer is subject to the actual terms and conditions of the policies as issued. Certain coverages may be provided through surplus lines insurance company subsidiaries of W. R. Berkley Corporation through licensed surplus lines brokers. Surplus lines insurers do not generally participate in state guaranty funds and insureds are therefore not protected by such funds.
