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Crop Insurance
Crop losses can wipe out an entire season’s income. A well-structured agricultural insurance policy protects farmers against such shocks. This guide explains Comprehensive Crop Insurance in India—what it covers, how it works today (opens in a new tab) and how the original Comprehensive Crop Insurance Scheme (CCIS) introduced in 1985 laid the foundation for present-day programs. If you’re comparing benefits, exclusions, premiums, or claim triggers, you’ll find clear, India-specific answers here.Crop insurance is one of the most effective tools to safeguard farmers (opens in a new tab).
Direct answer: The Comprehensive Crop Insurance Scheme (CCIS) was introduced in 1985 by the Government of India., Today, farmers typically get comprehensive crop insurance via PMFBY (Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana) and Weather-Based Crop Insurance—covering major natural risks, pests, and diseases using area/yield or weather triggers.
Key benefit: Stabilizes farm income after yield loss; premiums are subsidized for notified crops under PMFBY., How claims work: Payouts are triggered by shortfall in area yield (vs. threshold yield) or adverse weather indices—no individual loss survey needed for yield-based schemes.
Who should opt: Borrower and non-borrower farmers growing notified crops, especially in risk-prone districts., What to check before buying: Notified crops/area, sum insured, basis of loss assessment (yield vs. weather), exclusions, timelines for enrollment and claims.
Comprehensive Crop Insurance is an agricultural insurance policy that protects farmers against major production risks—drought, flood, cyclone, unseasonal rain, pest attacks, and plant diseases—so that a bad season does not become a financial crisis. In India, this protection is primarily delivered via government-backed schemes like PMFBY (yield-based) and Weather-Based Crop Insurance (index-based). Private insurers administer these with state and central support.
Indian farmers face high high weather variability (opens in a new tab) and rising input costs. Comprehensive protection helps stabilize net income, improves credit access, and supports resilience across Kharif and Rabi seasons. For tenant, small and marginal farmers (opens in a new tab), subsidized premiums make protection accessible.
The original Comprehensive Crop Insurance Scheme (CCIS) was introduced in 1985 as part of government schemes (opens in a new tab) . It was an early, area-yield based program covering selected crops and regions. Over time, India transitioned to broader, more data-driven schemes—NAIS, MNAIS, and now PMFBY—expanding coverage, improving actuarial pricing, and strengthening claim assessment through Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs), remote sensing, and digital tools (opens in a new tab).
Coverage varies by scheme and state notification. Always read your policy schedule for exact inclusions.
Sum Insured (SI): Usually linked to scale of finance or cost of cultivation per hectare for the notified crop. Choose accurate area and crop to avoid underinsurance.
Premium: Farmer share is capped for PMFBY; governments subsidize the rest. For weather-based products, rates depend on the local risk profile and index design.
Different schemes solve different problems. Use the table below to match your risks and preferences.
The Comprehensive Crop Insurance Scheme was introduced in 1985. It used an area-yield approach and offered subsidized premiums for selected crops. While CCIS is no longer active in its original form, it set the groundwork for today’s expanded frameworks like PMFBY and Weather-Based insurance, which bring broader coverage, better data, and streamlined claim processing.
Kshema General Insurance focuses on simple, transparent crop insurance experiences—clear terms, digital support, and timely assistance across the policy lifecycle, from enrollment to claim settlement, in line with applicable government schemes and notifications.
FeatureCCIS (1985)PMFBY (Current)Weather-Based (Current)Assessment BasisArea yield (limited crops/areas)Area yield via CCEs and historical dataWeather index (rainfall, temperature, etc.)PerilsMajor natural perils causing yield lossWide set of weather, pest, and disease risksSpecified weather deviations as per indexPremium StructureSubsidized, flat-rated (legacy)Farmer share capped; balance subsidizedRisk-based; may be subsidized if notifiedPayout TriggerShortfall in area yieldShortfall in area yield vs. thresholdIndex breach at reference stationPayout SpeedLonger (legacy processes)Improved with digital CCE/remote sensingOften faster due to parametric designWho It SuitsHistorical foundation schemeFarmers seeking comprehensive yield coverFarmers prioritizing quick, weather-triggered payoutsBenefitsExclusions/LimitationsStabilizes farm income after bad seasonsNon-notified crops/areas are not coveredImproves access to formal creditNegligence or avoidable agronomic failures not coveredGovernment subsidies reduce costsLosses outside policy period or beyond post-harvest windowObjective, area-based payouts reduce disputesLocal losses may not trigger payout if area yield/index not breached
Comprehensive Crop Insurance protects farm income against major production risks. India’s journey from CCIS (1985) to PMFBY and Weather-Based products has made coverage broader, more data-driven, and more accessible. To choose wisely, verify notified crops/areas, understand whether your risk is best covered by yield or weather triggers, and enroll before cut-off dates. For clear terms, digital support, and help with documentation,explore Kshema’s comprehensive insurance solution (opens in a new tab) that prioritize transparency and timely service.
Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare – Crop Insurance Division page
The Comprehensive Crop Insurance Scheme (CCIS) was introduced in 1985 by the Government of India.
It stabilizes income after yield loss, boosts access to credit, shares catastrophic risk with insurers, and encourages better farm investments.
Primarily through PMFBY (yield-based) and Weather-Based Crop Insurance (index-based), administered by insurers with government support and state notifications.
Losses from negligence, non-notified crops/areas, events outside the policy period, and risks like war or nuclear incidents are typically excluded.
If area yield falls below threshold yield, payouts are computed proportionally for all insured farmers in that area and credited directly to their bank accounts.
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