Enrol in PMFBY before the sowing date; mandatory for loanee farmers and voluntary for others.
Jurisdiction
All of India — scheme administered by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DAFE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare; implemented jointly by the central government, state governments, and insurance companies empanelled by the Agriculture Insurance Company of India (AIC) and private insurers; applicable across all states participating in PMFBY (most states and UTs)
Who applies
All farmers — loanee (KCC/crop loan holders) and non-loanee (voluntary) — who grow notified crops in notified areas of any state; loanee farmers are mandatorily enrolled for crop loans up to ₹3 lakh; non-loanee farmers can enrol voluntarily through banks, CSCs, or the PMFBY portal before the cut-off date for the season
Typical time
Online enrollment: 15–30 minutes on pmfby.gov.in if Aadhaar and bank are already linked; enrollment must be completed before the state's cut-off date (typically 31 July for Kharif and 31 December for Rabi); claims are processed and paid within 2–3 months of crop loss assessment
Fee
Premium payable by the farmer (as a share of the actuarial premium): Kharif crops: maximum 2% of sum insured; Rabi crops: maximum 1.5% of sum insured; annual commercial and horticultural crops: maximum 5% of sum insured; the balance of the actuarial premium is shared equally between the central government and the state government
| # | Document | Type needed | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aadhaar Card | Original | Mandatory for PMFBY enrollment; used for farmer identity verification and for direct benefit transfer of claim settlements to the farmer's Aadhaar-linked bank account |
| 2 | Land records (RTC / 7/12 extract / Pahani / Khatoni) | Self-attested Copy | Proof of the agricultural land being insured; shows survey number, area, and farmer's name; must match the crop sowing declaration; state revenue department land records are standard |
| 3 | Bank account passbook (first page) | Self-attested Copy | Required for premium deduction and claim settlement payment via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT); Aadhaar-linked bank account is mandatory for claim payment |
| 4 | Crop sowing certificate / sowing declaration(optional)Required for voluntary non-loanee enrollment and recommended even for loanee farmers to confirm crop details; some states mandate a sowing declaration | Self-attested Copy | Farmer's declaration of the crop sown, sowing date, acreage, and survey number for the current season; required for enrollment and for claim assessment in the event of loss |
| 5 | Tenant/sharecropper agreement or gram panchayat certificate(optional)Mandatory for tenant farmers and sharecroppers; not required for owner-cultivators | Original | For tenant and sharecropper farmers who do not own the land — confirms the cultivation arrangement and entitlement to insure the crop |
Original documents: Carry originals only for in-person visits — do not hand them over permanently unless explicitly required.
Visit pmfby.gov.in and click 'Insurance Premium Calculator' or the 'Farmer Corner'. Select your state, district, crop, and season (Kharif/Rabi). The portal will show whether the crop is notified in your district, the applicable premium rate, and the cut-off date for enrollment. Alternatively, visit your nearest bank branch, CSC, or state agriculture department office for this information. Missing the cut-off date means no coverage for that season — check early.
Register on pmfby.gov.in using your Aadhaar number and mobile number. Navigate to 'Farmer Application' and fill in the enrollment form: personal details, Aadhaar number, bank account details, land details (state, district, taluka, survey number), crop, sowing date, and insured area. Upload scanned copies of land records and bank passbook. Calculate the premium payable using the on-screen calculator. Pay the premium online via UPI, net banking, or debit card. Download and save the enrollment acknowledgement slip.
For KCC/crop loan holders, the bank automatically enrolls the farmer in PMFBY for the crop mentioned in the KCC account at the time of crop loan sanction or annual renewal. The bank deducts the farmer's share of the premium from the KCC / savings account before the cut-off date. Request your bank to provide a PMFBY enrollment confirmation slip with your policy number, insured crop, area, and premium paid. Loanee farmers who do not want to be enrolled must submit a written opt-out declaration at the bank at least 7 days before the cut-off date.
Visit your nearest Common Service Centre (CSC). The CSC VLE will log in to the PMFBY portal on your behalf, fill the enrollment form using your documents, and complete online payment. CSC charges a service fee of ₹40 per enrollment. Collect the printed enrollment acknowledgement slip with your policy number.
In the event of crop damage due to a notified peril (flood, drought, hailstorm, pest, disease, cyclone, etc.), report the loss within 72 hours by calling the national crop loss helpline (14447) or the insurance company's toll-free number, or submitting a loss report on the Crop Insurance App. You must report: your policy number / enrollment number, Aadhaar, nature of damage, date of damage, extent of damage, and location (survey number). Retain the complaint reference number.
After receiving loss reports, the state agriculture department conducts Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs) at the unit area level (village / gram panchayat) to estimate average yield. This data is uploaded to the PMFBY portal by the state government. The insurance company compares actual yield against the threshold yield (based on historical averages) to compute the indemnity (claim amount) at the unit area level. No individual farm visit is needed for widespread (area approach) claims — all farmers in the unit area with yield shortfall receive proportional claims.
Once the yield data is accepted by the insurance company and the indemnity is calculated, the claim amount is electronically transferred directly to the farmer's Aadhaar-linked bank account via the National Agriculture Insurance Portal. The farmer receives an SMS notification. Typical settlement timeline is 2–3 months from the end of the crop season. For mid-season adversity (drought / flood affecting 50%+ of the insured area), an advance payment of up to 25% of the likely claim is made on account within 30 days.
State Government — Department of Agriculture
Crop loss assessment via Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs) and yield data submission
Conducts CCEs in sampled fields within the insurance unit, records yield data, and uploads results to the PMFBY portal for insurance company assessment.
Agriculture Insurance Company of India (AIC) / empanelled private insurer
Individual farm loss verification (for localised calamities), indemnity calculation, and claim payment
Conducts individual farm surveys for localised calamities (hailstorm, landslide), processes area-approach claims based on CCE data, and initiates DBT claim transfers.
Common Service Centres (CSC e-Governance Services India Ltd)
Enrollment assistance and loss reporting for farmers without internet access
Assists farmers to complete online PMFBY enrollment, processes payments, prints enrollment slips, and helps file initial loss reports on the Crop Insurance App.
State Government — District Agriculture Department
Coordination of CCEs, grievance resolution, and farmer awareness
Oversees implementation of PMFBY in the district, coordinates CCE scheduling, addresses farmer grievances regarding enrollment, claim delays, or rejection.
Online farmer enrollment, premium calculation, policy/enrollment status tracking, loss reporting, and claim status tracking
Mobile app for PMFBY enrollment, loss reporting within 72 hours of damage event, and claim status tracking
Claim queries, grievance submission, and farmer services for crops insured with AIC as the implementing insurer
Locating nearest CSC for assisted PMFBY enrollment and loss reporting with help from the Village Level Entrepreneur
PMFBY enrollment cut-off dates (typically 31 July for Kharif and 31 December for Rabi) are fixed by the state government and are absolute — there are no extensions under any circumstances. Even a delay of one day results in no coverage for that season. Mark the cut-off date at the start of the season and complete enrollment at least 7–10 days in advance to allow for processing time.
Since PMFBY is mandatory for crop loanee farmers, the bank automatically deducts the premium from the KCC account. If a loanee farmer does not want PMFBY coverage for a season (e.g., because the crop is not notified or for any other reason), they must submit a written opt-out declaration to the bank at least 7 days before the cut-off date. Silence means automatic enrollment and premium deduction.
For individual farm losses due to localised calamities (hailstorm, landslide, inundation), the loss must be reported within 72 hours by calling 14447 or via the Crop Insurance App. Reports beyond 72 hours are typically not entertained. Keep the helpline number saved and report immediately after any damaging weather event — do not wait to assess the full extent of damage.
For widespread calamities (drought, flood, cyclone), claims are based on the average yield of the entire insurance unit (village or revenue circle), not your individual farm. If the average yield of the unit exceeds the threshold even if your specific farm suffered 100% damage, no claim is payable. This is an inherent limitation of the area-approach model. Only localised events (hailstorm, landslide, inundation, fire) are assessed individually.
Crop insurance claim amounts are transferred exclusively via DBT to the farmer's Aadhaar-linked bank account. If your bank account is not seeded with your Aadhaar, the claim transfer will fail and the funds will be returned to the government. Ensure Aadhaar-bank seeding is complete at the time of enrollment itself — do not wait until a claim arises.