Insects, drought and hail – three things that can destroy a harvest faster than most farmers ever want to discover. That’s why prudent farmers carry either crop-hail or multiple peril crop insurance. These help protect you should the worst happen. However, even with a policy protecting your fields, there’s no guarantee the insurance company will expedite your payout. For that reason, you should follow these tips that will help your insurance company process your claim as quickly as possible:
- Secure and submit your insurance premiums on time based on the crop you are harvesting. This varies by the crop, so check with your insurance company to verify when these deadlines are.
- Make sure you’re harvesting the crop in the manner for which you are insured. If you adjust your crop or harvesting method, notify your insurance carrier. For example, if you have insured corn as grain, don’t harvest it as silage.
- Have your adjuster give you a field appraisal before harvesting. Do not under any circumstances skip this step as they will not be able to assess it at the full guarantee.
- Contact your adjuster within 72 hours of the time you believe you will have a crop loss. When it hails or floods, this is easy to ascertain, but not always. Pay close attention to your fields. Furthermore, if you have noticed a slow decline in your fields due to drought, do regular assessments so that you know precisely when to make that call and document your assessments to justify your reason for waiting.
- Take photographs. A picture is worth a thousand words, or several thousand dollars. A photographic record is your proof that the loss you’ve suffered is exactly what you say it is.
- Fill the paperwork out carefully. As they say, make sure to cross your “t’s” and dot your “i’s.” If you don’t know the answer to a question, ask your insurance agent. They’ll help guide you through things. It is also a good idea to discuss your claim with your attorney so that they can double check your claims form before submission.
- Show your math. Always show your shrinkage calculations and verify that they are in line with the crop being reported. Every percentage adds up; however, if your calculations are too high, the insurance company may kick it back for clarification or adjustment.
Do you have questions related to crop and farm insurance claims? Contact Stockard, Johnston, Brown, Netardus & Doyle, P.C. for help navigating insurance claims processes so you won’t get the runaround.