MPCI Claims: What to Do Before Harvest Begins

The 2023 growing season has been a challenge for many farmers and ranchers in the upper Midwest. Although hail and wind have taken down crops across our marketplace, drought is having the largest impact on yield potential. 

With these concerns in mind, a common question insurance specialists get is, “Do I have a multi-peril crop insurance claim?” If you have been impacted by weather, it is possible you may have a claim opportunity. 

 With harvest around the corner, here are a few points to remember before you begin your harvest.

• If you had hail damage and your hail claim was deferred until closer to harvest, please contact your insurance specialist to inform them when you plan to harvest so that a crop adjuster can inspect your damaged crop again and finish your hail claim. Deferred hail claims need to be completed before harvest begins.
• Corn growers: If you are going to be cutting corn for silage, you need to submit a Request for Silage Appraisal to your insurance company. This requires authorization from a crop adjuster after a silage appraisal has been completed. Contact your insurance specialist to get started.
• Prior-year crops in bins must be measured by an adjuster before comingling new crops with the old. Contact your insurance specialist to notify your insurance company so an adjuster can schedule a time to measure your existing old crop.  
• If you experience severe weather, call your insurance specialist within 72 hours of the suspected occurrence so that a Notice of Damage can be submitted. Once submitted, an adjuster will assess for possible damage or loss.
• If you believe there is a potential production loss during harvest, contact your insurance specialist within 15 days of completing harvest. Your insurance specialist will submit a Notice of Loss to your insurance company at that time.
• Production must be kept separate for each insurance unit (county, crop, section, and share). Please remember this as you are harvesting. Do not move from one unit to the next with a truck or hopper that is half full. Splitting grain tickets is not allowed when working a claim. Mark each ticket with only one section.  
• Insurance company inspection and approval is required if you abandon any portion of the insured crop and prior to the destruction of any insured crop.

The end of the insurance period is the earlier of the harvest date for the crop or the date published in the Special Provisions listed below. Please note that if the crop is unharvested by the date listed below, you must contact your insurance specialist to report a loss.

End of Insurance Period:

We wish you a safe and bountiful harvest in 2023. Please contact us with any questions regarding your policy.