The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) offers crucial insurance coverage to farmers against natural disasters like unseasonal rain, hailstorms, floods, and pest attacks, helping them recover from crop losses with financial support.
✅ What Is PMFBY?Launched on February 18, 2016, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the PMFBY replaced the earlier National Agricultural Insurance Scheme. Its aim is to provide affordable crop insurance to farmers with minimal premiums, covering damage due to:
Natural calamities
Pest infestations
Post-harvest losses
Localized disasters
Provide financial support to farmers in times of crop loss
Stabilize farmer incomes
Encourage continued farming and adoption of modern techniques
Empower farmers and strengthen India’s agriculture sector
Low premium: Farmers pay only 1.5%–5%; the rest is subsidized by the government
Zero premium: In Northeast, Himachal Pradesh, and J&K, the government pays the full premium
Covers:
Unseasonal rain
Hailstorms
Pest/disease damage
Landslides
Use of satellite images, drones, and mobile apps for accurate assessment
Claims settled within 2 months
| Sowing/Planting | Inability to sow due to weather |
| Standing Crop | Rain, floods, hail, storm, pests, diseases |
| Post-Harvest (14 days) | Loss due to natural events after harvest |
| Localized Calamities | Hail, landslide, waterlogging, cloudburst, fire |
| Kharif Crops | 2% |
| Rabi Crops | 1.5% |
| Commercial/Horticulture | 5% |
All farmers growing notified crops
Must have land ownership/lease documents
Apply within 2 weeks of the season start
Must not be claiming for the same crop under any other scheme
Online
Visit the
Click on Farmers Corner → Guest Farmer
Fill the registration form (Name, Aadhaar, bank details, etc.)
Log in using mobile OTP
Fill insurance application with crop & land details
Submit the form and make payment (now or later)
Download payment receipt
Offline
Visit banks or insurance offices offering PMFBY
Or apply via Common Service Centres (CSCs) with the help of VLEs
Go to the official PMFBY portal
Click Application Status
Enter your Policy ID and Captcha
View application progress
Passport-size photo
Aadhaar, PAN, or Voter ID
Bank passbook
Land ownership or lease documents
Crop declaration
Mobile number
Use the Premium Calculator on the PMFBY portal
Enter crop season and land area
Get the estimated premium based on crop and region
Which crops are covered?
Food grains, oilseeds, and horticultural/commercial crops (government-notified).
Do all farmers pay the same premium?
Yes, fixed rates apply to all based on crop type.
How to claim insurance?
File a claim through bank, insurance office, or CSC with all supporting documents.
Is insurance mandatory?
Not anymore. Since 2020, it’s voluntary for all farmers.
Do Himachal/J&K farmers pay premium?
No, the government covers 100% of their premium.
