Flexible planning.

When you work with your crop insurance agent to put together your tailor-made program, don't forget to cover every crop planting option you can imagine. You only pay a premium on the crops you actually plant or were prevented from planting. By covering potential substitute crops you maximize your planting options and best of all, you only pay premiums for the coverage that you actually use.

Record keeping is rewarded.

Good crop production records increase the value of your crop insurance coverage. With four or more years of certified Actual Production History (APH) a simple average of your yields (up to ten years) becomes your basis for coverage. Producers who do not certify records have to settle for a percentage of Transitional, or default, Yields (T-yield). Even if your yields are just the same as the local average, you still qualify for a lot more protection with certified yields. Failing to certify actual production history may reduce coverage by as much as 50 percent.

Buy only the coverage you need, but don't come up short.

Your private crop insurance agent wants to have a long term business relationship with you. They know that protecting your interests means not just making sure you have enough coverage, but also making sure you only pay for what you need.
Everyone's needs are different. Some producers are more leveraged than others... Some want to maximize their marketing opportunities more than others... Some are facing financial obligations outside of farming (college educations, caring for older relatives)... Some live in more disaster prone areas than others... Some are more interested in getting real income protection than others.
The important thing is to make sure that your crop insurance agent clearly understands your situation so you can be assured of getting the best crop insurance program possible.

Don't miss the deadlines.

There are several dates you will need to mark on your calendar. These are sent out to each producer and will be posted on this website under seasonal specifications.

1. Your sales closing date is your deadline to apply for coverage. There are different sales closing dates for different crops and different areas of the country. The best thing to do is to call your agent as soon as possible to verify your deadline. Remember, the sooner you make next year's coverage decision, the sooner you can use the coverage to negotiate the best terms for your operating loan.

2. Final planting date. Contact your agent if you were unable to plant by this deadline. Delayed planting coverage may be available.

3. Acreage reporting date. Report the acreage you planted.

4. End of insurance period. The latest date of your insurance coverage.

5. Payment due date. Date for you to pay to avoid interest charges.

6. Cancellation date. Date to give notice if you don't want insurance next year.

7. Production reporting date. Report production for your Actual Production History.

8. Debt termination date. This date is determined by events that damage or destroy a crop.

9. Date to file notice of crop damage. This date is determined by events that damage or destroy a crop. The general rule for when to give notice is:

 

The general rule for when to give notice is:

• After damage

  ---

• The date you decide to discontinue caring for the crop

  ---

• Prior to the beginning of harvest

  ---

• Immediately, if you determine that your crop is damaged after harvest begins

  ---

• or the end of the insurance period, whichever is earlier

  ---

Count on your crop insurance agent to help you understand your responsibilities regarding these dates.