Q. How does the Federal crop insurance program work, and how do I apply for coverage?
") document.write("The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) programs are administered by the Risk Management Agency (RMA), which underwrites crop insurance policies for hundreds of crops and livestock in the United States. Crop insurance policies are sold and serviced by private insurance companies.
Up-to-date program and actuarial data is available on our website. For information about insurance products available in your area, we suggest that you contact a local crop insurance agent or one of the insurance companies that sell and service crop insurance policies in your state. RMA also has 10 Regional Offices, in various locations across the country, that you may contact for information specific to your area.
Your local crop insurance agent can describe the different insurance products available, and the policy rates and terms. Your agent will help you choose the best coverage for your crop based on your particular farm operation and your risk management and budgetary needs.
RMA doesn\'t have an appeal or reconsideration process available to handle disputes that may arise between farmers who participate in the Federal crop insurance program and their agents and insurance companies. You should review your crop insurance policy which contains Arbitration provisions which may be sought when there is a dispute with your insurance company.
RMA strives for actuarial soundness in all Federal crop insurance programs that it administers. In support of this goal, RMA has a very deliberate process for new program development. New pilot programs must be approved by the FCIC Board of Directors before they are made available to producers. Under certain circumstances, new pilot programs must be authorized by Congress before RMA can begin program development.
Most pilot programs are expected to operate for about 3 years so that RMA may gain insurance experience and test the program components before the pilot programs are made more broadly available or are converted to permanent programs.
However, RMA is authorized, under certain circumstances ona case-by-case basis, to underwrite Multiple Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI) insurance offers when standard rates or coverage is not available. RMA can enter into a Written Agreement with the insurance provider and can underwrite an individual policy if the grower\'s particular crop production plan will be actuarially sound under modified rates and terms.
If you are interested in expansion of the Federal crop insurance program to your area and your crop, you should contact the Regional Office that serves your area. RMA staff will ensure that your request is given full consideration.
If the Federal crop insurance program cannot be made available in your county for your crop, RMA will advise you if an individual Written Agreement is possible or if coverage is available through the private sector.
Q. Why isn't insurance available for the same crop in every county and state?
") document.write("Since the development of crop insurance policies depends first of all upon the demand for them, RMA does not initiate policies or expand existing programs where there are no requests. In some cases, a crop may not be grown by many, if any, farmers in a county. For example, there aren\'t many cultivated claims raised in Sheridan County, Nebraska, the cotton production is relatively low in Kittson County, Minnesota, and there aren\'t a lot of cherries grown in Jackson County, Mississippi.
In areas where an established crop policy is not available, farmers may request that their RMA Regional Office expand the program to their county the next crop year. They may also contact their local crop insurance agent to see if a written agreement is available for the current crop year.