Apiary Insurance 2026
Working in agriculture requires the ability to withstand unpredictable events. To protect producers from designated perils that lead to production loss, Agriculture Financial Services (AFSC) provides apiary insurance options.
The programs provide:
- protection from financial losses from reductions in honey production due to designated perils
- protection from financial losses from excess bee mortality for bees overwintered in hives in Alberta
Apiary insurance is offered as part of the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership between the province and the federal government.
What’s new for 2026
Bee Overwintering Insurance – deadline change: The application and election deadline for Bee Overwintering Insurance is being extended from June 30 to September 1 to allow for additional time to evaluate colony health prior to submitting for insurance. Clients will now have until September 1 to apply for, make changes to, or to cancel their Bee Overwintering Insurance.
Wildlife Damage Compensation Program – Bear Damage to Hives: Bear damage to hives has been made a permanent part of the Wildlife Damage Compensation Program following a successful three-year pilot, and the following changes have been made based on feedback from Alberta beekeepers:
- Producers can now file bear damage to hives claims in April and November for colonies and hive equipment. Honey losses will not be eligible during these additional months and will remain eligible for compensation from May 1 to October 31.
- Producers will now have five days from the discovery of damage to file claims for bear damage to hives (reporting window increased from 48 hours to five days).
