Application Process

The Insurance Cycle begins each year with the insurance offer. Actuarial documents are published annually by the Risk Management Agency (RMA). The actuarial documents list the plan of insurance, crop, type, variety, and practice that may be insured in a state and county, and show the amounts of insurance, available insurance options, levels of coverage, price elections, applicable premium rates, and subsidy amounts. The Special Provisions of Insurance list program calendar dates, and general and special statements which may further define, limit, or modify coverage.

Insurance applications must be completed and signed no later than the sales closing date specified in the crop actuarial documents. Applications signed after the crop sales closing date may be rejected by the insurance provider.

Insurance coverage is continuous and can be cancelled by either the insurance provider or the policyholder for the following crop year by providing a written notice to the other party no later than the cancellation date specified in the crop policy. For a policyholder insured the previous crop year, any changes he or she wishes to make to the policy coverage must be made on or before the crop sales closing date. The policy will automatically renew for the subsequent crop year unless the policyholder cancels the policy in writing on or before the crop cancellation date.

Insurance coverage may be terminated by the insurance provider for the following crop year for nonpayment of outstanding debt by providing a written notice to the policyholder no later than the termination date specified in the crop policy. The insurance provider may terminate coverage on a crop if no premium is earned for three consecutive years.

Upon receipt of a properly completed and timely submitted insurance application, the insurance provider will accept and process the application, unless the applicant is determined to be ineligible under the contract or Federal statute or regulation. The insurance provider will issue a summary of coverage and the appropriate policy documents to the applicant. After the application is accepted, the policyholder may not cancel the policy for the initial crop year.

For annual crops, insurance attaches annually when planting begins on the insurance unit. The crop must be planted on or before the crop's published final planting date unless late or prevented planting provisions apply. If prevented planting provisions apply, and the crop cannot be timely planted due to the causes specified in the crop provisions, such acreage may be eligible for a prevented planting payment.

For perennial crops, insurance attaches each crop year on the calendar date specified in the crop provisions.