Jennifer Rudden
Research Lead Financial Services & Real estate
Crop insurance in the United States - statistics & facts
Crop insurance is an insurance policy that protects producers of agricultural products against either the loss of their crops due to natural disasters or the loss of revenue owing to a decline in the prices of agricultural commodities. There are two general categories of crop insurance; crop-yield insurance and crop-revenue insurance.
In the United States, where cropland covers about 250 million acres, federal crop insurance is available through a private insurance under the authority of the USDA. The first federal crop insurance program was established in the United States after Congress passed the Federal Crop Insurance Act in 1938. Continued and increased participation has been ensured over the years through a series of other legislative reforms. The state of Texas recorded the highest total loss paid by American-based crop insurers in 2017.
Crop-yield insurance is typically divided into two categories: crop-hail insurance and multi-peril crop insurance. Multi-peril insurance offers a combined package covering not only hail but flood from excessive rain, as well as drought. Sometimes, additional risks such as from insect or bacteria-related diseases are also covered. Among some of the largest multiple peril crop insurance companies in the U.S. are: Chubb Limited, Zurich Insurance Group and QBE Insurance Group.
In the United States, where cropland covers about 250 million acres, federal crop insurance is available through a private insurance under the authority of the USDA. The first federal crop insurance program was established in the United States after Congress passed the Federal Crop Insurance Act in 1938. Continued and increased participation has been ensured over the years through a series of other legislative reforms. The state of Texas recorded the highest total loss paid by American-based crop insurers in 2017.
Crop-yield insurance is typically divided into two categories: crop-hail insurance and multi-peril crop insurance. Multi-peril insurance offers a combined package covering not only hail but flood from excessive rain, as well as drought. Sometimes, additional risks such as from insect or bacteria-related diseases are also covered. Among some of the largest multiple peril crop insurance companies in the U.S. are: Chubb Limited, Zurich Insurance Group and QBE Insurance Group.
