Understanding Prevent Plant Coverage

One benefit to Crop Insurance that is often overlooked is Prevent Plant coverage. It provides coverage when an eligible crop cannot be planted due to adverse weather conditions general to the area. This could include conditions like drought or too much moisture (rain or snow). We know this can be a very confusing process to navigate and your Weller Insurance Team wants to help!  

How do you qualify for prevent plant coverage? 

There are three main criteria:

1. You must notify your crop insurance agent within 72 hours of the final plant date and report the claim.
2. The unplanted acreage must be at least 20 acres or 20% of the crop. Your coverage decision in March does influence this criteria. 
3. The acreage must meet the “1 in 4 rule”, which says the land must have been planted, insured, and harvested in at least one of the four most recent crop years. 

Here are your options if you do qualify and are unable to plant a crop before the final plant date:

1. Plant the insured crop during the late planting period and a reduced level of insurance coverage will be provided. The late planting period generally extends for 25 days after the final planting date. For most crops the insurance guarantee is reduced 1% for each day that planting is delayed beyond the final planting date. You will not receive a prevented planting payment in this situation.
2. Plant the insured crop after the late planting period and have insurance coverage equal to your prevented planting coverage level. You will not receive a prevented planting payment in this situation.
3. Leave the land idle and receive a full prevented planting payment.
4. Plant a cover crop during the late planting period and receive a full prevented planting payment if it is not hayed or grazed before November 1.
5. Plant a cover crop after the late planting period and receive a full prevented planting payment if it is not hayed or grazed before November 1. If you hay or graze it before November 1, you will receive a 35% prevented planting payment.
6. Plant a second crop after the late planting period (if you were also prevented from planting during the late planting period). You will receive a prevented planting payment equal to 35% of the prevented planting guarantee.

Still need more information? Please contact your Weller Insurance agent.