What does crop insurance protect against?

Asked by: Dr. Webster Hand  |  Last update: January 15, 2026
Score: 4.8/5 (58 votes)

Federal Crop Insurance Program (FCIP) participation The USDA, Risk Management Agency (RMA) oversees FCIP and offers agricultural producers financial protection against losses due to adverse events including drought, excess moisture, damaging freezes, hail, wind, disease, and price fluctuations.

What does crop insurance cover?

Natural causes are usually covered, such as drought, excessive moisture, hail, wind, frost, insects, and disease. Changes in price can be covered. Not covered: damage from pesticide drift, fire, negligence, failure to follow Good Farming Practices, and others.

What losses does crop insurance cover?

These are called “covered perils” or “causes of loss” and include adverse weather conditions (e.g., hail, frost, drought, flooding); failure of irrigation water supply (if caused by an insured peril during the period of insurance coverage); fire (due to natural causes); plant diseases (provided the farmer followed ...

What is a crop insurance policy designed to protect?

Yield insurance plans are the oldest and most widely available crop insurance product. Actual Production History (APH) and Yield Protection (YP) policies protect farmers against yield losses due to natural causes such as drought, excessive moisture, hail, wind, frost, insects, and disease.

How many acres are insured by crop insurance?

Between 2022 and 2023, federal crop insurance enrollment rose from 493.8 million acres to 539.5 million acres. The entire U.S. includes nearly 880 million acres of farmland. Acreage in the Federal Crop Insurance Program grew from just under 300 million acres in 2016 to about 450 million acres in 2021, according to ERS.

What Risks Does Crop Insurance Really Protect Against? | Allied Ranchers Insurance

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What are the negatives of crop insurance?

Under the Risk Management Agency, some cover crop practices may mean loss of crop insurance. At the Natural Resources Conservation Service, cover crops receive a “poor” rank for Environmental Quality Incentives Program funds in some localities, resulting in low eligibility for cost-share incentives.

What is the 20 20 rule for crop insurance?

20/20 rule: Acreage must be at least 20 acres or 20 percent of the insured crop acreage for the unit to be paid on a per-unit basis. The ground was planted in at least one of the four most recent crop years.

Does crop insurance cover flooding?

If you are a producer who purchases federal crop insurance and your crop is impacted by a natural disaster such as a hurricane, flood, drought, or hail, there are certain steps you must take to ensure your claim is processed accurately and efficiently and any potential indemnities are paid in a timely manner.

Is crop insurance worth it?

Crop insurance lowers a farm's risk by reducing business risk (BR),1 relieving credit con- straints, and improving farm liquidity through indemnity payments.

Do you pay taxes on crop insurance?

Crop insurance proceeds (or indemnities) must be included on a Schedule F as farm income regardless of how much proceeds a producer receives to cover the producer premium.

Does crop insurance cover hail damage?

Crop-hail coverage provides protection against physical damage from hail, and in many cases will include extended coverages like fire and lightning, wind, vandalism and malicious mischief, as well as certain perils while in transit and storage at no additional cost.

What is the T yield for crop insurance?

Transitional yield (T-Yield) - An annual yield established within the county, or homogeneous area of land, for a crop, type, practice, map area, or other actuarial basis, as provided in the actuarial documents or calculated in accordance with FCIC approved procedures.

How is crop insurance payout calculated?

The final revenue guarantee is computed by multiplying the higher of either the projected price or the harvest market price by the APH yield for your farm, by your chosen coverage level (50% to 85%).

Does crop insurance cover fire?

Additional questions and answers may be provided as more information becomes available. Is fire an insurable Cause of Loss (COL) under multi-peril crop insurance policies? Yes, if the fire that damaged or destroyed your crops or prevented you from planting your crop is caused by an insured COL.

What percentage of farmers have crop insurance?

In 2022, 62 percent of farms producing row crops (cotton, corn, soybeans, wheat, peanuts, rice, and sorghum) purchased Federal crop insurance, while 9 percent of farms growing specialty crops, such as fruits, vegetables, and nursery crops, did the same.

How do crop insurance agents get paid?

Therefore, the amount of agent compensation must be calculated by determining the proportion of revenue earned from Federal crop insurance program products (the sum of Administrative and Operating Expense Subsidy, CAT Loss Adjustment Expense, and Underwriting Gain) divided by total revenue from all products and then ...

Will corn prices go up in 2024?

For example, corn prices in 2024 surged as droughts reduced yields, raising concerns about lower prices if growing conditions improve in 2025. Global Demand and Exports Exports of agricultural commodities are expected to remain strong.

What is the most expensive crop per acre?

Saffron: The Most Profitable Crop per Acre

Dubbed "red gold", saffron's high market value makes it arguably the most profitable agricultural crop.

What month are crop insurance prices set?

Crop Insurance Price Guarantees

Spring price discovery takes place every February and fall price discovery takes place every August/September. During the survey period, market expectations for prices are averaged to determine the spring (or fall) crop insurance price.

What is the minimum acreage for crop insurance?

To qualify: File the claim after the Final Plant Date or within 72 hours after the LPP. Plant at least 20 acres or 20% of insured crop acres. Acreage must have been planted in one of the last four crop years.

Who pays for farmers crop insurance?

The federal government pays private insurance companies to deliver the crop insurance program—that is, sell and service policies—to producers such as farmers.

Why is it an insurance against crop failure?

Crop insurance financially safeguards farmers from crop losses caused by natural calamities, wild animal attacks, etc., ensuring they do not lose their livelihood. With crop insurance, farmers can focus on farming without the constant worry of risks.