Agricultural farming can be a good profit-yielding business, but there are many factors involved where things can go wrong. For example, an unexpected thunderstorm can put you in a lot of trouble, involving crop, building, and equipment damage.
Table of Contents
1. Suppose I have a Revenue Protection Policy, what is considered a loss?
2. Can I make a claim if I have one bad field?
3. Once I discover a crop loss, what should I do next?
4. Who assesses crop loss and how is the appraisal made?
5. If I disagree with the appraisal, what is the next step?
6. Can I use the crop for animal feed after the final appraisal?
7. What are insurance units and how do they work?
8. What do I do if I’m not sure I have a claim?
9. What type of crop insurance is available?
10. If I don’t notify the agent before harvest, will I still be able to file a revenue claim?
Aside from climatic disasters, you must secure your investments against low yields. This is where crop insurance comes to the rescue. But crop insurance can be complex and there are a ton of options, so how do you know which one is right for your farm? At Scott Colville Crop Insurance, we visit your farm to help you understand all the options and benefits so that you can make the right crop insurance decisions for your business. These are some of the questions you should ask when looking at your crop insurance options.
1. Suppose I have a Revenue Protection Policy, what is considered a loss?
In most policies, if your revenue is less than the revenue specified in your policy then you can make a claim. You can choose a level of revenue protection before signing a policy. The maximum level you can choose is 85%.
2. Can I make a claim if I have one bad field?
You may claim if you have optional units divided by different sections and shares. If you have an enterprise or basic unit then you might not have an option to make a claim.
3. Once I discover a crop loss, what should I do next?
You should inform your insurance company within 72 hours. You can inform in person, over the phone, or in writing. Report a Claim
4. Who assesses crop loss and how is the appraisal made?
This is a very important step of the process and as a farmer, you should have a good understanding of how losses are assessed. In most cases, the insurance provider will send an adjuster to determine the level of damage and coverage. The adjuster can make or break your claim. Because we are a private insurance agency, we can choose which insurance providers to write policies with, usually based on how good their adjuster is for your specific crop in your area.
5. If I disagree with the appraisal, what is the next step?
If you have a disagreement with the adjustor’s appraisal, you can leave representative sample areas until a final review is completed. If you fail to maintain the affected areas then the company might reject your claim.
6. Can I use the crop for animal feed after the final appraisal?
You should ask this question from your insurance agent. If you used that crop without getting permission, your final production to count and any claim may be affected.
7. What are insurance units and how do they work?
Some farmers insure their crops using enterprise units so they can pay lower premiums. In such cases, any loss is determined by crop per county. So it means, during loss adjustment, all of the planted crops will be counted in a given county. You can also have a choice to choose optional units, where losses are assessed on a per-unit basis but these optional units have higher premiums.
8. What do I do if I’m not sure I have a claim?
If you are not sure that you have experienced a loss, then you mustn’t risk it. Contact your insurance agent, and after the appraisal, if you haven’t experienced any loss, then you can simply withdraw the claim.
9. What type of crop insurance is available?
The two most common types of crop insurance available are crop-hail insurance offered by private insurance companies and Multi-Peril crop insurance, offered by the federal government. Also available are weather insurance, LRP, LGM, DRP, and a multitude of price enhancement products
10. If I don’t notify the agent before harvest, will I still be able to file a revenue claim?
According to revenue claim laws, you must file a claim within 45 days after discovering a loss.
Revenue claims are determined after harvest price is announced, December 1 in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio.
We hope these questions and answers help you get a better understanding of what to expect when it comes to choosing the right crop insurance policies for your farm. The best way to be sure is by scheduling a free farm visit with our expert crop insurance agents. Knowing you have the right protections in place takes a huge weight off your shoulders and allows you to get the good sleep your body and mind need to be successful.