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Category: Farmer Schemes
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Title: Crop Insurance (PMFBY) Guide for AP & Telangana Farmers — How to Claim, Premium Rates & Deadlines 2026
Meta Description: Complete guide to Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) for AP and Telangana farmers. Covers premium rates, claim process, coverage details, deadlines, and how to file claims after crop damage.
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Slug: crop-insurance-pmfby-guide-ap-telangana-2026
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Every year, thousands of farmers in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana lose their crops to cyclones, unseasonal rains, droughts, and pest attacks. Crop insurance exists to protect farmers from these losses, but most farmers either do not know how to claim it or miss the enrollment deadline.
This guide explains everything about crop insurance under PMFBY (Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana) — how it works, what it covers, how much you pay, and exactly how to file a claim when your crop is damaged.
## What is PMFBY (Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana)?
PMFBY is the central government’s flagship crop insurance scheme launched in 2016. It replaced earlier schemes (NAIS and MNAIS) with a simpler, more farmer-friendly structure.
Key features:
– **Low premium for farmers**: Only 2% for Kharif crops, 1.5% for Rabi crops, 5% for commercial/horticultural crops
– **Full coverage**: The actual premium may be 15-25% of sum insured, but the government pays the difference
– **Covers all risks**: Natural calamities, pests, diseases, post-harvest losses
– **Voluntary**: Since 2020, PMFBY is voluntary for all farmers (earlier it was mandatory for crop loan borrowers)
– **Technology-based**: Uses satellite imagery, drones, and weather data for faster claim settlement
### How Premium Sharing Works
| Component | Farmer Pays | Government Pays |
|———–|————-|—————–|
| Kharif crops | 2% of sum insured | Remaining premium (shared 50:50 between Centre and State) |
| Rabi crops | 1.5% of sum insured | Remaining premium |
| Commercial crops | 5% of sum insured | Remaining premium |
Example: If sum insured for paddy is Rs 1,00,000 per hectare:
– Farmer pays: Rs 2,000 (2%)
– Actual premium might be: Rs 18,000
– Government subsidy: Rs 16,000 (Centre Rs 8,000 + State Rs 8,000)
This means for just Rs 2,000, a farmer gets coverage of Rs 1,00,000 against crop loss.
## What Does PMFBY Cover?
### Risks Covered:
**1. Prevented Sowing / Planting Risk**
– If you cannot sow/plant due to deficit rainfall or adverse weather
– Coverage: Up to 25% of sum insured
– Condition: Widespread area must be affected (not individual farm level)
**2. Standing Crop Loss (Sowing to Harvesting)**
– Drought, flood, cyclone, hailstorm, unseasonal rain
– Pest and disease attacks
– Landslide, lightning, fire (natural)
– Coverage: Full sum insured based on yield loss assessment
**3. Post-Harvest Losses**
– Crop damage within 14 days after harvesting (while drying in the field)
– Covers cyclone, unseasonal rain, hailstorm
– Coverage: Up to 25% of sum insured
– Individual farm-level assessment
**4. Localized Calamities**
– Hailstorm, landslide, inundation affecting individual farms
– Individual farm-level assessment (not area-based)
– Coverage: Full sum insured for affected area
### Risks NOT Covered:
– War, nuclear risks
– Theft, malicious damage
– Damage by domestic or wild animals
– Preventable pest attacks (where farmer did not take basic precautions)
## Crops Covered in AP and Telangana
### Andhra Pradesh — Major Notified Crops:
| Season | Crops |
|——–|——-|
| Kharif | Paddy, Groundnut, Cotton, Maize, Jowar, Bajra, Red gram, Black gram, Green gram, Sesame |
| Rabi | Paddy, Groundnut, Bengal gram, Sunflower, Maize, Black gram |
| Horticultural | Mango, Banana, Chilli, Turmeric, Onion, Tomato |
### Telangana — Major Notified Crops:
| Season | Crops |
|——–|——-|
| Kharif | Paddy, Cotton, Maize, Soybean, Red gram, Groundnut, Jowar |
| Rabi | Paddy, Bengal gram, Maize, Groundnut, Sunflower |
| Horticultural | Mango, Orange, Turmeric, Chilli |
Note: Not all crops are notified in all districts. Check with your district agriculture office for the specific list applicable to your area.
## How to Enroll for PMFBY — Step by Step
### Deadline Alert:
– **Kharif season**: Enrollment deadline is typically July 31 (varies by state notification)
– **Rabi season**: Enrollment deadline is typically December 31 (varies by state notification)
Missing the deadline means no coverage for that season. Mark these dates on your calendar.
### Method 1: Online Enrollment (Self)
Step 1: Visit the PMFBY portal at pmfby.gov.in
Step 2: Click “Farmer Corner” and then “Guest Farmer” (for new registration) or login with existing credentials
Step 3: Fill in details:
– Personal information (name, Aadhaar, mobile)
– Bank account details
– Land details (survey number, area, crop sown)
– Select the insurance company operating in your district
Step 4: Pay the premium online (UPI, debit card, net banking)
Step 5: Download the acknowledgment receipt
### Method 2: Through Bank (for Crop Loan Borrowers)
If you have taken a crop loan (Kisan Credit Card), the bank can enroll you automatically. However, since 2020, this is optional — you must give written consent to the bank for enrollment.
Visit your bank branch before the deadline and:
– Confirm you want PMFBY coverage
– Sign the consent form
– Premium will be deducted from your loan account
### Method 3: Through CSC / MeeSeva / Insurance Company Agent
Visit your nearest Common Service Center or contact the insurance company’s local agent. Carry:
– Aadhaar card
– Bank passbook
– Land document (Pattadar passbook / Dharani record)
– Sowing certificate from agriculture department (if available)
– Premium amount in cash or digital payment
## How to File a Claim After Crop Damage
This is the most important section. Many farmers lose money simply because they do not report crop damage within the required timeframe.
### Step 1: Report Crop Loss Within 72 Hours
As soon as crop damage occurs, you MUST intimate the insurance company within 72 hours. Methods to report:
– **Crop Insurance App**: Download from Play Store, click “Report Crop Loss,” upload photos
– **Toll-free number**: Call the insurance company’s helpline (number on your policy document)
– **PMFBY portal**: Login and report online
– **Agriculture office**: Inform your village agriculture assistant or mandal agriculture officer
– **Bank branch**: If enrolled through bank, inform them
### Step 2: Document the Damage
Take clear photographs showing:
– Overall view of the damaged field
– Close-up of damaged crops
– Nearby landmarks for location identification
– Date and time stamp (phone camera does this automatically)
Also note:
– Approximate area affected
– Cause of damage (flood, pest, hailstorm, etc.)
– Crop stage at the time of damage
### Step 3: Cooperate with Assessment
After your report, the insurance company will:
– Send a surveyor to assess damage (within 10 days for localized calamities)
– For widespread damage, use Crop Cutting Experiments (CCE) data
– May use satellite imagery and drone surveys for large-scale assessment
Your role: Be present when the surveyor visits. Show them the damaged area. Provide any documents they request.
### Step 4: Claim Settlement
– For individual claims (localized calamities, post-harvest): Settlement within 30 days of assessment
– For area-based claims (widespread drought, flood): Settlement after yield data compilation (may take 2-3 months after harvest)
– Payment directly to your bank account via DBT
### Important Timelines:
| Event | Deadline |
|——-|———-|
| Report crop loss | Within 72 hours of damage |
| Submit supporting documents | Within 15 days of reporting |
| Insurance company assessment | Within 10 days of report |
| Claim settlement | Within 30 days of assessment completion |
## How Claim Amount is Calculated
### For Area-Based Claims (Widespread Damage):
The claim is calculated based on the difference between the threshold yield and actual yield in your area:
**Claim = (Threshold Yield – Actual Yield) / Threshold Yield × Sum Insured**
Example:
– Threshold yield for paddy in your mandal: 25 quintals/hectare
– Actual yield this season (from CCE data): 15 quintals/hectare
– Sum insured: Rs 1,00,000/hectare
– Claim = (25-15)/25 × 1,00,000 = Rs 40,000/hectare
### For Individual Claims (Localized Damage):
Assessment is done at individual farm level by the surveyor. The claim amount depends on:
– Percentage of crop area damaged
– Stage of crop at damage (early stage = lower claim, mature crop = higher claim)
– Sum insured for that crop
### For Post-Harvest Claims:
– Assessed at individual farm level
– Maximum claim: 25% of sum insured
– Based on actual damage observed by surveyor
## Premium Rates and Sum Insured — AP & Telangana 2026
### Andhra Pradesh (Indicative — check official notification for exact figures):
| Crop | Sum Insured (Rs/hectare) | Farmer Premium | Farmer Pays |
|——|————————–|—————-|————-|
| Paddy (Kharif) | 1,05,000 | 2% | Rs 2,100 |
| Groundnut | 90,000 | 2% | Rs 1,800 |
| Cotton | 80,000 | 2% | Rs 1,600 |
| Bengal Gram (Rabi) | 60,000 | 1.5% | Rs 900 |
| Chilli | 1,20,000 | 5% | Rs 6,000 |
### Telangana (Indicative):
| Crop | Sum Insured (Rs/hectare) | Farmer Premium | Farmer Pays |
|——|————————–|—————-|————-|
| Paddy (Kharif) | 95,000 | 2% | Rs 1,900 |
| Cotton | 75,000 | 2% | Rs 1,500 |
| Maize | 55,000 | 2% | Rs 1,100 |
| Red Gram | 45,000 | 2% | Rs 900 |
| Turmeric | 1,50,000 | 5% | Rs 7,500 |
Note: These are approximate figures. Actual sum insured and premium rates are notified each season by the respective state governments. Always check the latest notification.
## Insurance Companies Operating in AP & Telangana
| Company | Contact | Operating Areas |
|———|———|—————–|
| Agriculture Insurance Company (AIC) | 1800-116-515 | Multiple districts in both states |
| Bajaj Allianz General Insurance | 1800-209-5858 | Select districts |
| HDFC ERGO | 1800-266-0700 | Select districts |
| ICICI Lombard | 1800-266-9725 | Select districts |
| United India Insurance | 1800-425-3333 | Select districts |
The specific company for your district changes each season based on government tender allocation. Check pmfby.gov.in for the current season’s allocation.
## Common Mistakes That Lead to Claim Rejection
**1. Not reporting within 72 hours**
This is the number one reason for claim rejection. Even if damage is obvious and widespread, YOU must report it individually. Do not assume the government will automatically know.
**2. Wrong crop or area mentioned during enrollment**
If you enrolled for paddy but actually grew cotton, your claim will be rejected. Ensure the crop mentioned in your policy matches what you actually cultivated.
**3. Not paying premium on time**
If premium payment fails or is not completed before the deadline, you have no coverage. Verify payment confirmation after enrollment.
**4. Lack of documentation**
No photos, no witnesses, no evidence = weak claim. Always photograph damage immediately.
**5. Not being present during survey**
If the insurance surveyor visits and you are not available, they may assess lower damage or mark the claim as “not verifiable.”
**6. Enrolling after sowing but claiming prevented sowing**
You cannot claim “prevented sowing” if you already enrolled after sowing the crop. The timeline must be logical.
## PMFBY vs State Crop Insurance — What AP Farmers Should Know
Andhra Pradesh also runs its own crop insurance scheme (YSR Free Crop Insurance) alongside PMFBY. Key differences:
| Feature | PMFBY | YSR Free Crop Insurance (AP) |
|———|——-|——————————|
| Premium paid by farmer | 2% / 1.5% / 5% | Zero (state pays farmer’s share) |
| Coverage | All notified crops | Select crops |
| Claim process | Through insurance company | Through state government |
| Settlement speed | 30-90 days | Varies |
In AP, if you are enrolled in YSR Free Crop Insurance, you may not need to separately enroll in PMFBY (the state handles it). Confirm with your agriculture office which scheme applies to you.
## Frequently Asked Questions
**Q: Is PMFBY mandatory if I have a crop loan?**
A: No. Since Kharif 2020, PMFBY is voluntary for all farmers including crop loan borrowers. However, you must explicitly opt out at your bank if you do not want coverage (otherwise the bank may enroll you by default).
**Q: Can I insure only part of my land?**
A: Yes. You can choose to insure specific survey numbers/plots. You do not have to insure all your land.
**Q: What if my crop is damaged by wild animals (wild boars, monkeys)?**
A: Wild animal damage is NOT covered under PMFBY. Some states have separate compensation schemes for wild animal damage. Check with your forest department.
**Q: I am a tenant farmer. Can I get crop insurance?**
A: Yes. Tenant farmers can enroll by providing a land lease agreement or a certificate from the village revenue officer confirming they are cultivating the land.
**Q: What happens if the insurance company delays my claim beyond 30 days?**
A: The insurance company must pay 12% interest on delayed claims (as per PMFBY guidelines). If excessively delayed, complain to the District Level Monitoring Committee (DLMC) or the state agriculture department.
**Q: Can I get crop insurance for my kitchen garden or small plot?**
A: PMFBY requires minimum 0.5 hectare (approximately 1.25 acres) for enrollment. Smaller plots are generally not covered.
## Action Steps for This Season
1. Check the enrollment deadline for the current season (visit pmfby.gov.in or ask your agriculture office)
2. Decide which crops and which plots you want to insure
3. Gather documents: Aadhaar, bank passbook, land records, sowing details
4. Enroll online or through CSC/bank at least 1 week before the deadline
5. Save the policy document and insurance company helpline number in your phone
6. Download the Crop Insurance App for easy claim reporting
7. If crop damage occurs — report within 72 hours, no exceptions
## Sources
– PMFBY Official Portal: https://pmfby.gov.in/
– Crop Insurance App: Available on Google Play Store
– AP Agriculture Department: https://agriculture.ap.gov.in/
– Telangana Agriculture Department: https://agri.telangana.gov.in/
– Agriculture Insurance Company: https://www.aicofindia.com/
– PMFBY Operational Guidelines: Available on pmfby.gov.in under “Documents” section
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