Crop insurance is funded by the federal government, and you must follow the requirements and deadlines of your policy in order to receive your claim money when you need it the most. The following blog post will focus on the most common mistakes.
Common Crop Insurance Mistakes That Can Affect Claims
1 – No Signature or Date
In order to collect on the claim, the farmer must sign the claim form before the deadline. If the farmer cannot make it into their local crop insurance office or their deadline is fast approaching, they should request an extension or ask for a field adjuster to come out to their property to sign the claim forms. Failure to sign the claim before the deadline can cause the claim to be rejected.
2 – No Proof of Loss
Another common mistake is not having proper documentation to prove that the farmer has incurred a loss. This documentation can take the form of receipts, invoices, or photographs to support their insurance claim. Without proof, the claim can be denied.
3 – Missing Important Deadlines
Many farmers miss deadlines when filing their crop insurance claims simply because they are unaware of when they are due. It is always best to call the insurance office and ask about the deadlines and paperwork requirements directly. Then, be sure to follow the instructions carefully to avoid rejections.
4 – Incorrect Crop Crop Designation
The farmers should be sure that the crop that they are growing is the same crop that is listed on the insurance policy. The farmers must check their policy carefully before purchasing the policy to ensure that all of the information is correct.
5 – Insufficient Evidence
Insurance companies will often ask for evidence of the loss, especially if the farmer’s insurance policy includes a policy deductible. The insurance company wants to make sure that it is not simply the farmer’s word that the crop was lost.
6 – Missing Supporting Documentation
If a farmer is claiming for hail, wind, snow, or other weather-related damage, then the farmer must submit supporting documentation to their insurance company before their claim can be accepted.
7 – Filing a Claim for the Wrong Crop
In order to receive correct payments, the farmer must file for the correct crop, whether this is corn, soybeans, wheat, or any other type of grain. It is crucial the farmer file their claim with the correct crop. Often this means that the farmer must send in another loss report to make the switch.
8 – Incorrect Census
The farmer must be sure that the census information is entered correctly. The census information is used to determine the actual yield of the farmer’s crop during harvest. This number must be entered correctly, or the claim could be lost.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many reasons why crop insurance claims can be denied. For these reasons, it is important that farmers follow the correct procedures when submitting their crop insurance claims. In addition, they should also seek out the advice of an insurance agent who can help them to make sure that they are submitting the correct information and ensuring that their claim can be accepted.
If you need help with agriculture insurance, contact Crop Insurance Services by AMS. As a market leader in the agriculture insurance industry, Crop Insurance Services by AMS proudly provides risk management solutions for America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers. Crop Insurance Services by AMS provides comprehensive protection with named peril, multiple perils, commercial ag, revenue protection, and more.
