Hurricane Insurance Protection – Wind Index (HIP-WI) Endorsement (Crop Year 2020)

General Information: The Hurricane Insurance Protection – Wind Index (HIP-WI) Endorsement covers a portion of the deductible of the underlying crop insurance policy when the county, or a county adjacent to it, is within the area of sustained hurricane-force winds from a named hurricane that are published by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The coverage provided by HIP-WI can be combined with the Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) and the Stacked Income Protection Plan (STAX) when acreage is also insured by a companion policy.

Eligible Crops and Location: The HIP-WI Endorsement provides coverage for 70 different crops insured under the Common Crop Insurance Policy, Basic Provisions (Basic Provisions) for both Catastrophic (CAT) and additional coverage policies when provided in the actuarial documents. It will be available in counties in the vicinity of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic, as well as Hawaii. The nearby map shows the availability of HIP-WI.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the HIP-WI Endorsement, you must:

Have an insurance policy under the Basic Provisions with the same insurance provider;
Elect HIP-WI on or before the sales closing date (SCD) of April 30, 2020;
- The sales closing date for HIP-WI will be the same as for the underlying policy in subsequent years
Elect a HIP-WI coverage percentage; and
Comply with all terms and conditions of the HIP-WI Endorsement.

Insurance Period

Generally, the insurance period for HIP-WI:

Begins on the later of the sales closing date or earliest planting date of the crop; and
Ends on the earliest of the end of insurance date or termination date (if there is no end of insurance date for the crop).

Waiting Period: The initial year HIP-WI is elected, coverage will not begin until 14 days after the sales closing date. If the underlying crop policy also requires a waiting period, the wait periods will run concurrently. For subsequent years, if you increase your HIP-WI coverage, the increase will not take effect until 14 days after the sales closing date. If a loss event occurs within the 14-day waiting period, HIP-WI coverage will be based on the coverage percentage and coverage range from the previous insured year.

Acreage Reporting Requirements: You are not required to submit an acreage report for HIP-WI, because HIP-WI uses the underlying policy’s acreage report. So, the number of eligible acres will be the number of acres reported on an intended acreage report, or the number of planted acres reported on an acreage report of the underlying policy. If you file an intended acreage report, eligible acres will be limited to the actual acres you planted and reported on the underlying policy’s acreage report. If an acreage report is not required for the underlying policy, the crop’s equivalent of an acreage report will be used to determine amount of insurance for HIP-WI.

Causes of Loss: The full value of the HIP-WI Endorsement is paid if a county, or adjacent county, is within the area of sustained hurricane-force winds from a named hurricane based on data published by the National Hurricane Center. The counties where payments occur will be identified in the actuarial documents. It is possible that your individual farm may experience reduced revenue or reduced yield due to hurricane-related causes and you do not receive an indemnity under HIP-WI. You are not required to file a notice of loss.

Settlement of a Claim: An indemnity is due when the county loss trigger is identified for the insured county. Losses under HIP-WI will be paid within 30 days after Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) releases the list of counties identified as meeting the county loss trigger.

Administrative Fees and Premium: An administrative fee and premium for the crop covered by each HIP-WI Endorsement will be due in addition to any administrative fee(s) and/or premium(s) of the underlying policy. However, the HIP-WI administrative fee may be waived if you qualify as a limited resource farmer, a Beginning Farmer Rancher (BFR) or a Veteran Farmer Rancher (VFR).

The premium for HIP-WI is calculated by multiplying the Hurricane Protection Amount (HPA) by the premium rate and any premium adjustment percentages that may apply. All information needed to calculate the premium rate is contained in the actuarial documents. The premium subsidy for HIP-WI is fixed at 65%.

Important Dates: 2020 Crop Year
Sales Closing and Cancellation……………..........April 30

2021 and Subsequent Crop Years
Sales Closing and Cancellation……........….........Same as underlying crop policy
(See the 2021 HIP-WI Fact Sheet for more information)

Where to Buy Crop Insurance: All multi-peril crop insurance, including CAT policies, are available from private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available by using the RMA Agent Locator at www.rma.usda.gov/information-tools/agentlocator

Note: PDF version looks different than website but content is exactly the same.

: This fact sheet gives only a general overview of the crop insurance program and is not a complete policy. For further information and an evaluation of your risk management needs, contact a crop insurance agent.

: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, complete, sign and mail a program discrimination complaint form, (available at any USDA office location or online at www.ascr.usda.gov), to: United States Department of Agriculture; Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights; 1400 Independence Ave., SW; Washington, DC 20250-9410. Or call toll free at (866) 632- 9992 (voice) to obtain additional information, the appropriate office or to request documents. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay service at (800) 877-8339 or (800) 845-6136.