Comprehensive standing crop insurance for tea, coffee, rubber, coconut, mango, apple, grapes, banana, rose, gerbera, and 30+ plantation, horticulture, and floriculture crops. Covers hailstorm, frost, cyclone, flood, drought, and forest fire. PMFBY and NHM government scheme eligible. A Probitas Insurance Brokers rural product.
Rural Insurance
PHF Insurance is a comprehensive standing crop insurance product by Probitas Insurance Brokers Ltd. (the insurer) covering 30+ plantation, horticulture, and floriculture crops against hailstorm, frost, cyclone, flood, drought, forest fire, and more. Horticulture crops earn 5–20× more per acre than cereals — yet are far more vulnerable to weather extremes. Plantation crops like tea and rubber represent 30–60 year perennial investments. Protected cultivation (poly-house floriculture) costs ₹15–₹50 lakh per acre to set up. Probitas Insurance Brokers Pvt. Ltd. (IRDAI Lic. No. 528) is your licensed broker.
Tea, Coffee, Rubber, Coconut, Cardamom, Pepper, Arecanut, Cashew, Sugarcane
Mango, Apple, Grapes, Banana, Orange, Pomegranate, Tomato, Onion, Vegetables
Rose, Gerbera, Carnation, Marigold, Chrysanthemum, Lily, Gladiolus, Cut Flowers
Poly-house & net-house — crop only (structure requires separate Engineering policy)
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) covers notified horticulture crops in notified districts — premium subsidised 50%–90% by Central + State government. The farmer pays only 5% of SI for commercial / horticulture crops; government pays the balance. National Horticulture Mission (NHM) provides additional premium subsidy for horticulture development. NHB covers commercial horticulture. For non-notified crops or non-notified districts, Probitas arranges a standalone commercial PHF policy. Call 022 4302 0000 to check whether your crop and district are PMFBY-notified.
Who Can Apply
SI per acre = Total input cost (seeds/saplings, fertiliser, pesticides, irrigation, labour). Suitable for young / immature plantations and annual crops.
SI per acre = Expected yield (kg/tonne) × Market price per unit declared at inception. Suitable for mature, productive orchards and plantations.
Total SI = SI per acre × No. of acres declared at inception
Market price declared at inception is fixed for the season. Actual price at time of loss is not used. Always declare a realistic peak harvest price.
| Crop Stage | Age | SI Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Establishment | Year 1–3 | Input cost only |
| Juvenile | Year 4–7 | 75% market value |
| Early Productive | Year 8–15 | 90% market value |
| Full Productive | Year 15+ | 100% market value |
| Senescent / End of Life | As assessed | Negotiated / nil |
Applies to tea, coffee, rubber, mango, coconut, and other perennial crops. Declare correct stage at inception.
If actual area under the crop at time of loss exceeds declared insured area, the Average Clause reduces all claims proportionally. Always declare the full area under the insured crop at inception. Under-declaring area to save premium is a false economy that severely penalises claims.
After hailstorm, cyclone, or frost — the damaged standing crop must NOT be removed, ploughed, harvested, or disturbed before the insurer's Agricultural Loss Assessor (ALA) and state Horticulture Dept. officer complete the joint survey. Loss of crop evidence before survey voids the claim.
Plan Comparison
Compare coverage across Plantation, Horticulture, Floriculture, and Protected Cultivation plans. All plans require crop area declaration at inception and a 48-hour notification window after any damaging event.
| Points of Difference | Plantation (Tea/Coffee/Rubber) | Horticulture (Fruits/Veg.) | Floriculture (Flowers) | Protected Cultivation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire & Forest Fire | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
| Lightning | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
| Cyclone, Typhoon, Storm, Tempest | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
| Flood & Inundation | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
| Hailstorm | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes (critical for apple/grapes) | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
| Frost | ✔ Yes (tea/cardamom) | ✔ Yes (apple/citrus) | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
| Landslide / Soil Erosion | ✔ Yes (hill estates) | ✔ Yes (hill orchards) | ✘ N/A | ✘ N/A |
| Earthquake | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
| Drought (officially declared) | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes | ✘ Limited | ✘ No |
| Pest & Disease (endorsement) | ✔ Add-on | ✔ Add-on (PMFBY) | ✘ Limited | ✘ No |
| SI per Acre Basis | Stage-based depreciation | Yield × Market Price | Cost of Cultivation | Cultivation cost |
| PMFBY / NHM Eligible | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes (notified crops) | ✘ Limited | ✘ Limited |
| Policy Period | Annual (12 months) | Season / Crop cycle | Season / Crop cycle | Season / Crop cycle |
| Joint Survey (ALA + Hort. Dept.) | Mandatory | Mandatory | Mandatory | Mandatory |
| 48-Hr Loss Notification | Required | Required | Required | Required |
| Poly-house Structure Covered | ✘ No | ✘ No | ✘ No | ✘ Separate Engineering policy |
Coverage Under PHF Insurance
PHF Insurance covers five main peril categories for standing crops. All claims require the damaged crop to be preserved for joint survey. Notify Probitas within 48 hours of any damaging event.
After any hailstorm, frost, cyclone, flood, or fire — call Probitas on 022 4302 0000 within 48 hours. Do NOT remove, plough, harvest, or disturb the damaged standing crop before the insurer's Agricultural Loss Assessor (ALA) and the State Agriculture / Horticulture Department officer complete the joint survey. Loss of crop evidence before joint survey voids the claim.
The poly-house or net-house structure (steel / GI frame, polyethylene covering film, shade net, drip irrigation system, fertigation unit) is NOT covered under this crop policy. Only the crop growing inside the poly-house is covered. For the structure: a separate Engineering / Property All Risk insurance policy is required. Contact Probitas on 022 4302 0000 to arrange both crop and structure cover together.
How Claims Are Calculated
Partial Loss = (SI per acre × % damage certified) × Acres affected − Compulsory Excess
Total Loss = SI per acre × Acres affected − Compulsory Excess
% damage is certified by the insurer's Agricultural Loss Assessor (ALA) and the state Agriculture / Horticulture Department officer in their joint survey report.
Banana, 10 acres, SI ₹1,20,000/acre:
7 acres: 100% loss = 7 × ₹1,20,000 = ₹8,40,000
3 acres: 40% damage = 3 × ₹1,20,000 × 40% = ₹1,44,000
Gross = ₹9,84,000 | Excess = ₹5,000
Claim Payable = ₹9,79,000
If actual crop area exceeds declared insured area, Average Clause reduces claims proportionally. Example: 10 acres actual, 6 acres declared — only 60% of any loss is paid regardless of % damage. Always declare the full area at inception.
For tea, coffee, rubber, mango, and coconut: the SI per acre reflects the stage-based depreciation schedule. A young tea plantation (Year 2) cannot claim at full mature market value — it is insured at input / establishment cost only. Always declare the correct crop stage at inception.
| Parameter | Hailstorm — Grape Vineyard (Maharashtra) | Frost — Apple Orchard (Himachal Pradesh) | Cyclone — Banana Plantation (Maharashtra) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crop | Grapes (mature vineyard) | Apple (mature orchard) | Banana (productive stage) |
| Area Insured | 5 acres | 8 acres | 10 acres |
| SI per Acre | ₹ 1,50,000 | ₹ 2,00,000 | ₹ 1,20,000 |
| Total SI | ₹ 7,50,000 | ₹ 16,00,000 | ₹ 12,00,000 |
| Event / Damage | Hailstorm — 80% crop damage (joint survey certified) | Unseasonal frost during flowering — 60% yield loss | Cyclone — 100% loss on 7 ac; 40% on 3 ac |
| Gross Claim | ₹7,50,000 × 80% = ₹6,00,000 | ₹16,00,000 × 60% = ₹9,60,000 | (7×₹1,20,000)+(3×₹1,20,000×40%)=₹9,84,000 |
| Compulsory Excess | ₹ 5,000 | ₹ 5,000 | ₹ 5,000 |
| Claim Payable | ₹ 5,95,000 | ₹ 9,55,000 | ₹ 9,79,000 |
* Illustrative only. Actual settlement depends on joint survey certified % damage, declared SI per acre at inception, area affected, and compulsory excess. Market price fixed at inception — actual price at time of loss not used. Average Clause applies if area is under-declared.
Policy Conditions
The following 12 conditions are binding under the insurer PHF Insurance. Condition 2 (Average Clause) and Condition 6 (Do NOT plough / harvest before survey) are the most critical for protecting your claim.
Area Declaration at Inception: Total area under insured crop (acres/ha), crop type and variety, crop stage (young / juvenile / mature), and exact location (district, taluk, survey number) must be accurately declared. Under-declaration activates the Average Clause.
Average Clause — Area Under-Declaration: If actual area under the crop exceeds declared area, the claim is reduced proportionally. Always declare the full area under the insured crop. This is the most common reason for reduced claims in crop insurance.
Crop Stage Declaration: For perennial crops, the crop stage must be declared — establishment, juvenile, or mature productive — as this determines the SI per acre and the depreciation / valuation basis. Incorrect stage = incorrect SI = claim dispute.
Pre-Inspection at Inception: The insurer may conduct a pre-insurance crop inspection to verify crop type, area, stage, and health. Crops with pre-existing disease / pest infestation may be excluded or insured with a loading.
Notification within 48 Hours: Any loss or damage must be notified to Probitas (022 4302 0000) within 48 hours of the damaging event. Delayed notification may prejudice claim settlement.
Joint Survey — Do NOT Remove / Plough Crop: Damaged standing crop must NOT be removed, ploughed, harvested, or disturbed before the joint survey by the insurer's ALA and state Agriculture / Horticulture Dept. officer. Loss of evidence before survey prejudices the claim.
Government Crop Cutting Experiment (CCE): For yield-based claims, the claim is supported by CCE conducted by the state Agriculture Dept. comparing actual yield with threshold yield. CCE result is binding on claim settlement.
Market Price Fixed at Inception: The market price declared at inception is the price used for claim settlement. Actual market price at time of loss is NOT used — declare a realistic, verifiable current market price at inception.
Perennial Crop Depreciation: For perennial plantation crops, the SI per acre reflects the stage-based depreciation schedule. A young plantation at establishment cost cannot claim mature market value.
Multiple Crops — Separate Declarations: If the same land carries intercropped crops (e.g., coconut with banana, coffee with pepper), each crop must be separately declared and insured as a separate risk with its own SI per acre.
Government Scheme Integration: For PMFBY and other scheme-linked policies, the SI, premium rate, and subsidy are as per the government notification for the notified crop in the notified district. Non-PMFBY: standalone commercial policy.
Policy Period: Annual crops / floriculture: one season from planting to harvest. Perennial plantation crops: standard 12-month annual policy. Fresh crop stage and market value declaration at each renewal.
How to File a Claim
PHF crop claims require joint survey by the insurer's ALA and state Horticulture / Agriculture Dept. officer — and often a Crop Cutting Experiment (CCE). Notify within 48 hours and preserve the damaged crop for survey. Call 022 4302 0000.
The insurer's licensed Agricultural Loss Assessor (ALA) conducts a joint survey with the state Agriculture / Horticulture Department officer — assessing % damage, measuring affected area, and photographing the damaged crop. For yield-based claims, the state Dept. conducts Crop Cutting Experiments (CCE) — scientific random sampling to compare actual yield against threshold yield. The joint survey report with % loss finding is the primary basis for claim settlement.
Call Probitas on 022 4302 0000 within 48 hours of the damaging event. Do NOT remove, plough, harvest, or disturb the damaged standing crop. Photograph the damage immediately. Note the date, time, and nature of the event (hailstorm, frost, cyclone, flood, fire).
Insurer appoints an Agricultural Loss Assessor (ALA) who conducts a joint survey with the state Agriculture / Horticulture Dept. officer — assessing % damage, affected area, and cause. May conduct Crop Cutting Experiments (CCE) for yield-based assessment. Issues joint survey report with certified % loss.
Claim Form, Policy doc, Land records (patta / 7-12 / RTC extract), crop sowing / planting records, joint survey / ALA report, State Agriculture / Horticulture Dept. crop damage certificate, photographs / video of damaged crop, IMD / Collector rainfall / frost / cyclone certificate, bank details (NEFT).
Claim = (SI per acre × % damage × acres affected) − Compulsory Excess. Total loss: SI per acre × acres − excess. Post-harvest salvage deducted if crop was partially harvested before damage. Payment by NEFT within 30 days of complete documents per IRDAI TAT norms.
Common Questions about PHF Insurance
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