“Bad Weather Forecasts Prompt Growers
To Take Coverage”
When Avtar Gill first came to the United States from India he didn’t anticipate that he would one day be providing crop insurance to farmers up and down California, But agriculture was part of his family heritage and in 1980 be started working in U.S. agriculture providing growers with coverage. Today, only eleven years later, he and his brother Harry, owners of Gill Insurance Agency, are leaders in California crop insurance writing.
From the humble start of a business run out of his home, Avtar has built the company up, and with Harry’s help, has opened a new office in Caruthers on Tahoe Street. “We have worked hard to make Gill Insurance a leading crop insurance agency, and we’re proud of our achievements,” expressed Avtar.
The Gills provide insurance to growers from Bakersfield to Yuba City. They have definite plans to open a branch office in Yuba City over the next year.
Plans are also in the works to open another office near Bakersfield. They are underwritten by Rain & Hail Insurance Services, Inc.
The Gills insure all kinds of crops from almonds to tomatoes, but by far their greatest success has been with the raisin industry. “The raisin Indus- try has been very good to us,” expressed Harry Gill. “The participation by raisin growers in crop insurance is very high because of the high risk raisins are under when they’re drying in the fields.”
Tom Sasselli, a Caruth- ers raisin grower of 110 acres, is very pleased with the service that he has received from Gill Insurance. “The Gills understand the farmer’s needs because they are farmers them- selves,” stated Sasselli. “Avtar has come out to my ranch several times to offer his assistance and to observe test plots I have for my raisin tray business. They now handle all my insurance needs.”
The Gills handle complete farm and ranch policies also, along with auto, home and life. “These policies are an additional service to our growers,” states Avtar. “We like to provide them with the opportunity to keep it all under one roof.”
Harry’s wife Jotan Gill is the office manager and heads the underwriting department. “She does all the work,” says Harry. “She is tremendous with grower relations.””
“I heard from other growers too that this is a really good agency,” stated grower Mohan Sanghera who farms over 300 acres of Thompsons in the Caruthers area. “I’ve been with them ever since and I’m very happy.”
For the last five years, Baldev Samran has purchased his crop insurance from the Gills. “I always buy crop insurance,” states Baldev. “I have 130 acres of raisins in Madera and I never miss buying crop insurance. There is far too much a risk.”
“With the reason running 2 to 3 weeks behind, raisin growers need to look very closely at buying trays that stand up against the weather, equipment to speed up the process and if all else fails, crop insurance for the security that allows a grower to sleep at night,” expressed Avtar. “There are a lot of good agencies and policies that are available to help raisin growers. Growers should take advantage of crop insurance this year.”
Selma raisin grower and real estate broker Rudy Alcester, is a grower who decides from year to year whether or not to buy crop insurance. “With the harvest running 2 to 3 weeks late, I think Mother Nature is trying to let us know something,” stated Alcoser. “If a grower doesn’t buy crop insurance this year, he is kind of foolish.”
Growers need to really take a look at the conditions that we are facing. A freeze ushered in the New Year, heavy rains in March a strangely cool June (what happened to Global Warming) and a late harvest that will surely lengthen the raisins’ stay on the ground. “As a farmer, I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t buy crop insurance myself,” expressed Avtar. “This is one year I wouldn’t miss even if I wasn’t an insurance agent.”
(Agribusiness’)
Article extracted from this publication >> July 19, 1991
