RISK MANAGEMENT AND AGRICULTURAL INSURANCE SYSTEM IN ITALY

The main objective of the research was to assess the risk management system and the agricultural insurance market in Italy. The subject of the study was risk management instruments and insurance products aimed at farmers. The source material primarily came from reports of institutions involved in the insurance system, such as ISMEA. The data were processed using selected descriptive statistical methods. The most important areas of the risk management system in Italy were compared to those in Poland. The research demonstrated that Italian agriculture is exposed to significant natural risks. The risk management system and insurance market are much more developed in Italy than in Poland, despite agriculture playing an important and similar role in both countries. The Italian system includes both traditional and modern risk management instruments, such as IST and mutual funds. Among EU countries, Italy allocates the largest funds under the Common Agricultural Policy to risk management instruments. The demand for the analyzed insurance products is highly regionally differentiated, with farmers in the north much more frequently using insurance. The main categories of insured crops are vineyards, fruits, and cereals, while in terms of livestock production, cattle, pigs, and eggs are the primary insured categories. Italy can serve as an example for Poland and many other countries on how to build a risk management system.