Expanded Hurricane Coverage Coming for 2027 Crop Year
Hurricanes and tropical storms are a fact of life across the Southeast, and a short while back USDA announced an expansion of insurance protection for producers facing those risks.
The USDA Risk Management Agency expanded eligibility for its Hurricane Insurance Protection-Wind Index endorsement, known as HIP-WI, along with the related Tropical Storm Option. The change begins with the 2027 crop year.
According to USDA, the update allows producers insured through Written Agreements to access the same hurricane and tropical storm protections available to other insured growers in their area.
Pat Swanson, administrator of USDA's Risk Management Agency, called the move an important step in expanding risk management options for producers.
HIP-WI helps cover a portion of a producer's crop insurance deductible when hurricane-force winds affect a county or a neighboring county. The Tropical Storm Option provides similar protection for qualifying tropical storm events.
The coverage is available on dozens of crops grown throughout the Southeast, including peanuts, cotton, soybeans, tobacco, citrus, blueberries, and more.
