PM Fasal Bima Yojana: Premium Rates, Eligibility, and How to Apply in 2026
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is a central government crop insurance scheme that protects farmers against financial losses due to natural calamities, pests, and diseases, with farmer premium contributions capped at 2% for Kharif crops, 1.5% for Rabi crops, and 5% for annual commercial and horticultural crops. Launched in January 2016 and implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare through empanelled insurance companies, PMFBY is the world's largest crop insurance scheme by enrollment. This page covers premium rates, eligibility, the enrolment process, how to file a claim, and UPSC-relevant scheme details.
What is PM Fasal Bima Yojana?
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is a centrally sponsored crop insurance scheme launched on 18 February 2016, replacing the earlier National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS) and Modified National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (MNAIS). The scheme was introduced to provide comprehensive crop risk coverage to farmers at highly subsidised premium rates, with the balance of the actuarial premium shared between the central and state governments.
PMFBY covers pre-sowing to post-harvest losses from non-preventable natural risks including drought, flood, cyclone, hailstorm, pest infestation, and disease. A key structural feature is that enrolment is voluntary for all farmers, the mandatory enrolment clause for loanee farmers was removed in 2020. The scheme operates through a cluster-based system where empanelled insurance companies are allocated districts by state governments through competitive bidding. PMFBY is implemented alongside the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS), which covers weather-index-based losses. As of 2025, PMFBY has settled claims worth over ₹1.57 lakh crore since its launch.
Key Benefits of PM Fasal Bima Yojana
| Benefit Type | Amount / Description | Applicable Category |
|---|
| Farmer premium, Kharif crops | Maximum 2% of sum insured | All enrolled farmers |
| Farmer premium, Rabi crops | Maximum 1.5% of sum insured | All enrolled farmers |
| Farmer premium, Commercial/Horticultural crops | Maximum 5% of sum insured | All enrolled farmers |
| Balance premium | Shared equally by central and state governments | Government funded |
| Coverage, yield loss | Losses due to drought, flood, hailstorm, cyclone, pest, disease | All enrolled farmers |
| Coverage, prevented sowing | If widespread failure prevents sowing due to adverse weather | All enrolled farmers |
| Coverage, post-harvest loss | For 14 days after harvest, for crops left to dry in field | All enrolled farmers |
| Coverage, localised calamities | Hailstorm, landslide, inundation for individual farm level losses | All enrolled farmers |
| Technology integration | Satellite imagery, drone surveys, and smartphone apps used for loss assessment | All enrolled farmers |
| Claim settlement | Within 2 months of harvest data availability (target timeline) | All enrolled farmers |
PMFBY Premium Rate Structure
| Crop Season | Farmer's Maximum Premium (% of Sum Insured) | Balance Premium (Centre + State) |
|---|
| Kharif (June–September) | 2% | Shared 50:50 (60:40 for NE/special states) |
| Rabi (October–March) | 1.5% | Shared 50:50 (60:40 for NE/special states) |
| Annual Commercial / Horticultural | 5% | Shared 50:50 (60:40 for NE/special states) |
Eligibility Criteria
| Criterion | Requirement |
|---|
| Farmer type | All farmers growing notified crops in notified areas, owner-cultivators and tenant/sharecroppers |
| Enrolment basis | Voluntary for all farmers (mandatory enrolment for loanee farmers removed in 2020) |
| Crop eligibility | Only crops notified by the state government for a specific season and district are covered |
| Land records | Owner-cultivators need land records; tenant/sharecroppers need tenancy agreement or state-notified document |
| Loanee farmers | KCC/crop loan holders are automatically enrolled by banks unless they opt out |
| Non-loanee farmers | Must apply through the Crop Insurance Portal (pmfby.gov.in) or bank / CSC before the notified cut-off date |
Documents Required
| Document | Purpose |
|---|
| Aadhaar card | Identity KYC |
| Land records / 7/12 extract | Proof of landholding and crop sown (for owner-cultivators) |
| Tenancy agreement | Proof of farming rights (for tenant / sharecropper farmers) |
| Bank account passbook (Aadhaar-linked) | For premium deduction and claim credit |
| Crop sowing certificate | Issued by Patwari / Revenue Officer confirming crop sown |
| Mobile number linked to Aadhaar | For OTP and SMS alerts |
How to Enrol in PM Fasal Bima Yojana
For Loanee Farmers (KCC / Crop Loan Holders)
- Your bank automatically enrolls you in PMFBY when your crop loan or KCC is sanctioned.
- Premium is deducted from your loan account.
- To opt out: Submit a written opt-out declaration to your bank branch at least 7 days before the enrolment cut-off date.
For Non-Loanee Farmers, Online via pmfby.gov.in
- Visit pmfby.gov.in → Farmer Application.
- Log in with your mobile number and OTP.
- Select your state, district, crop season, and crop type.
- Fill in land details, crop sown, and bank account information.
- Upload required documents.
- Pay the farmer premium online (net banking / UPI / debit card).
- Download the policy schedule and note your application number.
How to File a PM Fasal Bima Yojana Claim
- Report crop loss within 72 hours of the event by calling the crop loss intimation number: 14447 or the insurer's helpline.
- Also report via the Crop Insurance App (available on Google Play / App Store): submit geo-tagged photographs of crop loss.
- The insurance company conducts a crop cutting experiment (CCE) or field survey to assess loss.
- For localised calamities (hailstorm, inundation), individual farm-level assessment is done.
- For widespread calamities, state government yield data from CCEs is used for district-level settlement.
- Claim amount is credited directly to your Aadhaar-linked bank account.
State-Wise PMFBY Implementation
| State | Participation Status | Key Notes |
|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | Active | Largest enrolment base; paddy and wheat the dominant crops covered |
| Maharashtra | Active | Strong Kharif coverage; soybean and cotton key crops; RWBCIS used in some districts |
| Madhya Pradesh | Active | Scheme launched here; soybean, wheat, gram the primary covered crops |
| Rajasthan | Active | Bajra, mustard, and guar coverage; drought-prone districts have high enrolment |
| Karnataka | Opted out then re-joined | State had exited PMFBY in 2020 over premium disputes; re-enrolled in subsequent seasons |
| Andhra Pradesh | Active | Paddy, chilli, cotton; state government provides additional state premium top-up |
| Bihar | Active | Paddy, maize, wheat; DBT Agriculture portal used for farmer data linkage |
| Gujarat | Active | Cotton, groundnut, cumin covered; RWBCIS used for weather index coverage |
| West Bengal | Opted out | WB runs its own Bangla Shasya Bima (BSB) scheme; PMFBY not operational |
| Telangana | Opted out | Telangana runs its own Rythu Bandhu investment support scheme; exited PMFBY |
