Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation

Program Features

MASC Hail Insurance provides financial assistance to Manitoba producers for losses to crops due to hail, accidental fire, and in some cases, frost (if the insured crop's maturity was delayed by hail). Typically, an eligible producer with an MASC AgriInsurance contract may also sign up for Hail Insurance on eligible crops. Premiums are calculated by crop type, risk area, coverage options, and discounts for early payment.

Coverage becomes effective at noon the day following: a) the application's postmark date, b) receipt of hand-delivered, faxed, or online application at an MASC Insurance office, or c) the date of a phone application. Coverage for hail and accidental fire extends to October 21st each year.

Claims are made by contacting MASC within three business days of the damage occurance. An MASC adjustor will inspect the damaged crop and determine a percentage of lost yield. Based on the adjusted loss of yield and the producer's selected coverage, MASC will issue an indemnity cheque to the producer.

Producers enrolled in the Continuous Hail Insurance Option can have their Hail Insurance coverage automatically renewed each year, as well receive an additional discount on their premium. With this option, coverage is effective as soon as the crop emerges.

Eligibility

 

Eligible Producers

Hail Insurance is available to Manitoba producers and crop-share landlords who have an MASC AgriInsurance contract. Insureds may only insure their interest in the crop.

Example:
An operator with a 2/3rd share selecting $150 coverage may only purchase 2/3rds X $150 = $100 of coverage per acre. The landlord may insure the remaining 1/3rd share.

You must apply annually for Hail Insurance for crops not eligible under the Continuous Hail Insurance Option (CHIO) program, or if CHIO is not selected. Applications may be made online via MASC Insurance Online Services, or by calling, faxing, or visiting the nearest MASC Insurance office.

For more information about the MASC Hail Insurance program, please read the program's factsheet ({program_details::factsheet}) or contact your local MASC Insurance representative.

Canadian Foodgrains Bank: In support of this worthy humanitarian initiative, MASC will waive Hail Insurance premiums at the maximum available coverage level on up to 160 acres of land for Canadian Foodgrains Bank projects. For more information, please contact your local MASC Insurance office.

Eligible Acres

All acres that are insurable under AgriInsurance are eligible for Hail Insurance regardless of the variety or seeding date. Crops grown in bordering provinces or states or on uninsurable land are not eligible for Hail Insurance.

Restrictions

Alfalfa seed, pedigreed timothy seed, perennial ryegrass seed, annual ryegrass seed, tall fescue seed, tame hay and hemp grain are only insurable if the crop is insured under the AgriInsurance contract.

Cooking onions, carrots, rutabagas, and parsnips are only insurable if the crop is insured under the AgriInsurance contract or the Supplementary Terms and Conditions for Vegetable Acreage Loss Insurance.

Other onions, sweet corn, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower are only insurable if the crop is insured under the Supplementary Terms and Conditions for Vegetable Acreage Loss Insurance.

(For further restrictions, please refer to the Continuous Hail Insurance Option page.)

 

Costs & Coverage

 

Benefits

• Producers receive a harvesting bonus for crops severely damaged by hail or fire. The maximum bonus is 10%.
• Example: If a producer's appraised loss is 73%, his or her harvesting bonus is 73% - 70% = 3%. This amount is added to the appraised loss for a total loss of: 73% + 3% = 76%.
•  
• Producers with an insured crop that experiences frost damage as a result of delayed maturity due to hail may receive an ex gratia payment from MASC for such damage.
• Producers receive an indemnity payment if hail or fire damages 5% or more of the yield.
• Insureds who pay their hail premium when they apply for Hail Insurance receive a 5% premium discount.
• CHIO participants receive a 2% discount, which increases in the third, fourth, and fifth year of continuous participation to 3%, 4%, and 5% respectively.

Premium Rates

MASC Hail Insurance rates are calculated for each crop and hail risk area.

Risk Area	Basic Premium Rate
{risk_area::name}	{risk_area::basic_premium}

 

 

Coverage

Flexible coverage selections are available:

• Rutabagas, cooking onions, other onions, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, parsnips, cauliflower, sweet corn and strawberries are insurable at $750, $1,000, or $1,250 per acre.
• The dollar selection for potatoes is $200, $300, or $400 per acre.
• All other eligible crops are insurable at $125, $150, or $175 per acre.

Note: Strawberries are eligible for Hail Insurance, but only when the strawberry plant has established and is no longer eligible for Strawberry Establishment Insurance under the AgriInsurance Contract.

All fields of a specific crop selected for hail insurance must be insured at the same coverage level. Producers may choose to insure all or a portion of their crops.

 

Period of Coverage

Hail Insurance is in effect from noon of the day after the application is received until the insured crop is harvested, destroyed, or October 21st, whichever comes first. If the CHIO is selected, coverage is in effect when the crop emerges.

Short Date Cancellation

Producers with Hail Insurance may cancel their Hail Insurance coverage and recover a portion of their hail premium, as set forth in the Short Date Cancellation Table (below). Producers may cancel their Hail Insurance for any reason, provided no yield loss claim has been paid, adjusted or calculated for these acres.

Note: Producers that select the Continuous Hail Insurance Option cannot cancel their insurance unless the crop has been destroyed, or if there is insufficient production potential to leave the crop to harvest..

Short Date Cancellation Table
All insurable crops, with the exception of Strawberries, Fall Rye, Tame Hay, Alfalfa Seed, Perennial Ryegrass, Tall Fescue, Pedigreed Timothy for seed production, and Winter Wheat			Strawberries, Fall Rye, Tame Hay, Alfalfa Seed, Perennial Ryegrass, Tall Fescue, Pedigreed Timothy for seed production, and Winter Wheat
Date	Percent of Premium Earned		Date	Percent of Premium Earned
Before or on June 29	Nil		Before or on May 30	Nil
June 30	10%		May 31	10%
July 1	12%		June 1	12%
July 2	14%		June 2	14%
July 3	16%		June 3	16%
July 4	18%		June 4	18%
July 5	20%		June 5	20%
July 6	22%		June 6	22%
July 7	24%		June 7	24%
July 8	26%		June 8	26%
July 9	28%		June 9	28%
July 10	30%		June 10	30%
July 11	33%		June 11	33%
July 12	36%		June 12	36%
July 13	39%		June 13	39%
July 14	42%		June 14	42%
July 15	45%		June 15	45%
July 16	48%		June 16	48%
July 17	51%		June 17	51%
July 18	54%		June 18	54%
July 19	57%		June 19	57%
July 20	60%		June 20	60%
July 21	64%		June 21	64%
July 22	68%		June 22	68%
July 23	72%		June 23	72%
July 24	76%		June 24	76%
July 25	80%		June 25	80%
July 26	84%		June 26	84%
July 27	88%		June 27	88%
July 28	92%		June 28	92%
July 29	96%		June 29	96%
July 30 and after	100%		June 30 and after	100%

 

Producers must notify their local MASC Insurance office in writing (in person, by fax or by mail). If notification is mailed, the dated post mark will be used as the cancellation date. If notification is given in person or by fax, the actual date of receipt will be used.

 

Deadlines

Date	Last Day to...
March 31st	Apply for a new AgriInsurance contract Make changes to (or cancel) a current AgriInsurance contract Apply for the Continuous Hail Insurance Option (CHIO)
October 21st	Hail Insurance coverage terminates (if crop has not already been harvested or destroyed)

 

Note: Requests to cancel Hail Insurance must be made in writing, and may be received at any time while Hail Insurance is active. Premium refunds will be adjusted according to the Hail Insurance short date cancellation table..

Claims

 

 

Claim & Appeal Procedures

 

Claiming for Losses

You can initiate a Hail Insurance claim by contacting your local MASC Insurance office. To qualify for a Hail Insurance claim:

• Inspect your fields for damage before submitting a claim; if a claim is filed for an undamaged field, a nil claim fee may be incurred
• Contact your local MASC Insurance office within three business days of the damage occurring
• An MASC adjustor must inspect all damaged crops before the crops are destroyed or harvested
• If a damaged crop is ready to harvest and MASC was contacted, you may then proceed to harvest the crop, provided that representative strips are left for an adjustor to inspect. Representative strips must be at least 10 feet wide, and comprise either:
  • the full length of the field for each 40 acres or less of damaged crop, or
  • 1/3rd the distance in from the edge of the field and completely around the field.

Note: Claim payments on subsequent hailstorms are adjusted to compensate for previous losses.

Appealing an Appraisal of Loss

If you do not agree with an appraisal of loss completed by MASC, a second appraisal will be completed. If you do not accept this second assessment, or you reconsider the decision after signing a claim, you have 7 days to appeal the assessment to the Appeal Tribunal.

For more information, please see Appeals.