How can agricultural insurance be brought closer to the realities of agricultural production?

In order to change farmers' situation of “living at the mercy of the weather”, in recent years the state, while increasing investment in agricultural science and technology, has implemented a policy of support for agricultural insurance, providing premium subsidies to farmers who take part in insurance, which has strengthened the risk-prevention awareness of the broad masses of farmers, effectively protected farmers' interests, and played a positive role in promoting grain production increases in our country. At the same time, however, in the course of research the author found that farmers still have many expectations for agricultural insurance.

First, they hope agricultural insurance terms will be publicized in ways farmers can see and understand. The author found that many farmers are willing to insure but do not understand agricultural insurance, and some farming households even think that buying insurance adds to their burden and so do not support or take part in it. Therefore, they hope the government and insurance companies can step up publicity and guidance for the policy, publicizing agricultural insurance terms in ways farmers can see and understand, so that the broad community of farmers can understand and become familiar with the policy.

⟦NL> Second, they hope the range of insurable varieties can be expanded and subsidies and payouts increased. Some disasters in recent years have brought considerable losses to some farmers, and some insured farmers received compensation. They hope the agricultural insurance policy can remain unchanged for the long term, and that agricultural insurance subsidies and payouts will be strengthened. They hope more varieties can be covered by insurance, and that the subsidy ratio for agricultural product insurance can be appropriately raised a little, so that insurance programs are closer to the realities of agricultural production.

Third, they hope post-disaster claims will be convenient and timely. Quite a few farmers report that after a disaster the claims procedures are cumbersome and claims are slow, which is also an important reason affecting farming households' enthusiasm for taking out insurance. Therefore, farmers hope the claims workflow will be simplified, with fast payouts, ensuring no reluctance to pay, no delaying of payment, and no refusal to pay without cause, and that insurance money will be paid in full into the accounts of affected farmers as quickly as possible according to the payout standards in the insurance contract.

Fourth, they hope service outlets and personnel will go into the fields. Insurance company business outlets are generally rarely set up in villages, which brings great inconvenience to farmers in buying insurance and making claims. Agricultural insurance should be oriented toward the grassroots, and insurance companies should set up specialized or part-time service outlets in central townships with concentrated populations and relatively large radiation radii, so that agricultural insurance truly reaches the fields and courtyards and stays close to rural farmers.