Nebraska Crop Insurance Lawyer

Skilled Crop Insurance Attorney Representing Farmers in Nebraska

As a farmer, your crops may be one of your primary sources of income. Unpredictable changes in the market or natural forces can have a serious effect on your financial future, which is why many choose to invest in crop insurance. However, insurance adjusters will often try to deny or limit claims to protect their bottom line. Whether you need help filing a claim or you believe that your claim has been unfairly denied, it is worth talking to a Nebraska crop insurance attorney.

John D. Tallman, PLC, Attorney at Law has received many awards for his excellent counsel, including formal recognition as an Elite Lawyer. You can trust Attorney Tallman to handle your case from the beginning to the end, reviewing your case with close attention.

What Does a Crop Insurance Policy Cover in Nebraska?

Crop insurance policies are designed to protect Nebraska farmers from significant financial loss when circumstances beyond their control damage or destroy a harvest. Coverage can vary depending on the type of policy purchased, but most plans are built around protecting a farmer's investment in planting, growing, and bringing a crop to market. Depending on the specific policy, coverage can include:

• Yield losses caused by drought, excessive rain, or flooding
• Damage from hail, wind, or other severe weather events
• Losses resulting from disease or insect infestation
• Price declines between planting and harvest under revenue protection plans
• Prevented planting when weather conditions make it impossible to plant a crop within the required window
• Replant costs when a crop must be replanted due to a covered event

Every policy is different, and the specific perils covered, along with the exclusions that apply, should be reviewed carefully. A farmer who understands the full scope of coverage is in a better position to recognize when a loss should be compensated.

Documenting Damages and Filing a Crop Insurance Claim

Nebraska crop insurance policies typically include strict notice requirements that must be followed after a loss occurs. Many policies require a farmer to notify the insurance company within a matter of days after discovering damage, and missing that window can give an insurer grounds to deny an otherwise valid claim. Deadlines can also apply to submitting proof of loss, providing yield records, and completing any required inspections before harvest begins.

Strong documentation can support a claim from the very beginning. Photographs of damaged fields, weather reports, planting and harvest records, and any communication with the insurance company should be kept organized and complete.

Farmers should also keep records of expenses related to the loss, including replanting costs or efforts to salvage part of the crop. Thorough documentation, submitted within the required deadlines, gives a claim the best chance of being taken seriously by the insurer.

What Can You Do to Dispute a Denied Crop Insurance Claim?

Though it may be discouraging, denial is not necessarily the end of a claim. Insurance companies may deny claims by arguing that the damage resulted from poor farming practices, that the loss falls outside the scope of the policy, or that documentation was insufficient to support the claim. In other cases, an insurer may undervalue the loss rather than deny it outright.

Farmers have the right to challenge these decisions. Many policies require mediation or arbitration before a lawsuit can be filed, giving both sides a chance to resolve the dispute outside of court.

If those efforts do not lead to a fair offer from the insurance company, filing a lawsuit may become necessary to hold the insurer accountable for the terms of the policy. An attorney can review the denial, gather supporting evidence, and advocate for the compensation a farmer is rightfully owed.

Reach Out to a Nebraska Crop Insurance Attorney

A denied or undervalued crop insurance claim can put an entire farming operation at risk. Contact our Nebraska crop insurance lawyer at John D. Tallman, PLC, Attorney at Law or call 616-361-8850 for a free consultation to discuss your claim and learn how we may be able to help.