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Crop Claims: How to File Your Crop Claim

When you file a crop claim, the unknown can be the hardest part. With COUNTRY, there are no guessing games or complexity. We keep it simple.

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Here's how it works

Verify your information

Verify the information certified at the Farm Service Agency (FSA) matches the information submitted on your insurance acreage report and how the crop is sold. Be sure to check:

  • Ownership of the crop (names)
  • Acreage (the nearest hundredth)
  • Location (optional units)
  • Share (percentage of the crop you own)

Contact a crop specialist

 
Contact your local COUNTRY Financial Crop Specialist to start the claim process. 

Prevented Plant (PP) reminders

A standing crop does not constitute a prevent situation, unless a mature crop cannot be harvested due to a covered loss. 

  • Submit your claim after the final planting date for your county.
  • The claim reporting deadline is 72 hours after the late planting period (LPP).
  • Reporting PP acres on the Acreage Report does not generate a claim.
  • Conditions must be general to the area.
  • Your claim must be an insurable cause of loss.
  • A minimum of 20 acres or 20% of your crop unit (whichever is lower) must be prevented to qualify for a loss.
  • Prevent guarantee is 55% for corn, 60% for soybeans.
  • You can increase your base policy prevent coverage level by 5% before the sales closing date.
  • You can receive full payment if no crop is planted and the acres are left “black.”
  • You can plant a second crop after LPP and retain 35% prevent payment.
  • If your second crop is a cover crop, you will receive full prevent payment if it’s not hayed or grazed before Nov. 1.
  • Your second crop must be insured in the county.
  • You can’t plant a prevented crop at any time for harvest and retain your prevent payment.
  • Your claim will be paid at the Projected (Spring) Price. The premium for prevented acres is the same as for planted acres.

Replant coverage reminders

  • Replanting means going back to original crop.
  • Replant feasibility is 10 days after Final Plant Date (FPD).
  • For federal crop, 20 acres or 20% (whichever is lower) of the unit must be replanted.
  • The unit must be planted after initial plant date.
  • COUNTRY must give authorization to destroy an initial crop.
  • COUNTRY must inspect replant acreage over 50 acres.
  • You’re allowed only one replanting payment per year on any given acre.
  • Be sure to document your initial plant date on your acreage report.

Important information for clients about Aflatoxin

Aflatoxin is a fungal metabolite that is toxic when consumed by animals or humans. A gray/green or yellow/green mold on kernels is an indication that Aflatoxin is present. This can occur in the field or in storage.

If you have any questions regarding this issue, please contact your local adjuster or call 309-821-2261.

Aflatoxin guidelines

  • If you suspect your crops are infected with Aflatoxin, you should turn in a claim immediately.
  • Only your Crop Claims Specialist, or a representative approved by us, can secure or deliver samples for testing.
  • If you want to store the grain, our adjuster will secure a sample for testing by a third-party certified lab prior to placing the grain in the bin.
  • If you want to take your harvested grain directly to the elevator and they determine there is Aflatoxin, you should request they keep samples for our Claims Specialist to collect. They will take the samples to a third-party certified lab to confirm Aflatoxin is present. Test results for Aflatoxin need to be greater than 20.0 ppb for any discounts to apply.
  • Risk Management Agency (RMA) guidelines require you to be responsible for all charges related to the third-party certified lab. Your Crop Claims Specialist will collect this amount from you before the lab testing is done. There is a charge for this service.

Learn more

For more details, review our crop claims checklist (PDF) and Actual Production History guidelines (PDF).

COUNTRY Financial® is the marketing name for the COUNTRY Financial family of affiliated companies (collectively, COUNTRY), which include COUNTRY Life Insurance Company®, COUNTRY Mutual Insurance Company®, and their respective subsidiaries, located in Bloomington, Illinois.