As a crop insurance policyholder, you are responsible for regularly submitting information about your operation to your crop insurance specialist. This information is a guide to help make sure your insurance provides you the best coverage possible.
Acreage Reporting
This is a vital step in getting your insurance attached. If you fail to report on time, you won’t have insurance. It is also important for it to be accurate so that you are not overcharged on premium or under insured when it comes to claim time. Doing it right will save you money!
- Report correct acres by crop and practice.
- Verify with FSA certification documents.
- Report the correct planting date.
- Report accurate percent of share on each unit.
- Report all acres – be sure to include all prevented planting, uninsurable and late planted acres.
- Complete, sign and return the acreage report by the deadline.
Production Reporting
This step is important because it establishes your guarantees per acre.Your guarantees affect your eligibility and claims payments, so it is imperative for it to be correct.
- Report accurate total production by unit.
- Keep production separate by unit.
- Keep accurate hard copy records of the production (load records, storage structure marking, combine monitor records, feed records, etc).
- Complete, sign and return the production report by the deadline.
Reporting any Loss
- Call your FCS Crop Insurance Specialist within 72 hours of initial discovery or damage, but no later than 15 days after the end of the insurance period.
- Promptly return the calls from the adjuster to schedule inspection to ensure timely claim processing.
- Complete the loss paperwork with the adjuster.
Call your Crop Insurance Specialist
- When damage occurs.
- When you feel there could be a loss, even if production is average.
- Before you replant.
- Before you chop or do anything other than harvest a mature crop.
- When you have questions about your production or acreage report forms.
While these are basic guidelines, please don’t hesitate to contact your Crop Insurance Specialist at 1-888-444-FARM anytime you have a question about your coverage or responsibilities as an insured. We are here year-round to provide you service in these steps!
Important Dates to Secure Coverage
Your crop insurance policy is continuous, and must be cancelled in writing on or before the sign-up deadline. Contact your FCS Crop Insurance Specialist if you want to add a crop or county; this must be done by the deadlines listed here:
- Winter Wheat: September 30
- Spring Crops – Corn, Soybeans, Tobacco, Cotton and more: March 15
