Crop Insurance

Crop Insurance is the largest single source of financial protection to farmers

There are two kinds of crop insurance: crop-hail, which is provided by the private sector, and Multi Peril, an all-risk coverage underwritten by the private sector and the federal government and serviced mostly by the private sector. Crop-hail insures against loss of the value of a crop as a result of damage by hail. Multi Peril insurance covers loss of crop value as a result of all types of natural disasters, including drought, excessive moisture and unusually hot weather.

There have been sweeping changes in the federal Multi Peril crop insurance program in recent years. Up to 1995, only about one third of farmers bought federal Multi Peril crop insurance because, in the event of a disaster, they could generally rely on Congress to bail them out with disaster assistance and emergency loans. With the passage of reforms in 1995, Congress made it harder to justify legislation granting disaster. It also took other steps to encourage farmers to buy insurance against loss of income due to natural disasters, requiring new types of products, such as revenue protection, to make crop insurance more attractive and subsidizing a portion of the basic traditional coverage that protects against loss of yield.

Call or visit a friendly Stonebraker McQuary agent to find out more or get a quote.