Overview
- Hail insurance is only available to AgriInsurance policy holders.
- All crops are eligible for hail and fire coverage, regardless of the variety grown or the seeding date.
- With some exceptions, coverage can be selected on part or all of the acres of a crop.
- Insureds (including landlords) can select the Continuous Hail Insurance Option that provides coverage without having to apply each year.
- The AgriInsurance Individual Productivity Index (IPI) is automatically adjusted to include production losses under the Hail Insurance program.
- If a crop becomes non-viable, producers may request a Short Date Cancellation for the affected acreage and receive a premium refund.
- Prior to July 30, part or all of your Hail Insurance coverage may be cancelled through the Short Date Cancellation process, which prorates the amount of premium earned based on the date MASC is notified. This only applies for Continuous Hail Insurance Option participants if the crop is destroyed.
Hail Insurance Features
Continuous Hail Insurance Option
The Continuous Hail Insurance Option is a convenient feature that qualifies you for a minimum two per cent discount on your Hail Insurance premiums, to a maximum of five percent in continuous years of participation. There is an additional five per cent discount if your premium is paid by July 31.
Eligibility
Producers with an MASC AgriInsurance policy may also sign up for Hail Insurance on eligible crops.
Eligible Producers
Hail Insurance is available to Manitoba producers and crop-share landlords who have an MASC AgriInsurance policy. Insureds may only insure their interest share in the crop.
Example:
An operator with a two-thirds share that selects $400 coverage may only purchase 0.66 x $400 = $267 of coverage per acre. The landlord may insure the remaining one-third share at their selected dollar value.
Eligible Acres
All acres that are insurable under AgriInsurance are eligible for Hail Insurance, regardless of the variety or seeding date. Crops grown in bordering provinces or states or on uninsurable land are not eligible for Hail Insurance.
Apply for Hail Insurance
You must have an AgriInsurance policy by March 31 to be eligible for Hail Insurance. With an AgriInsurance policy activated, you can then apply for Hail Insurance coverage through the myMASC portal or in-person, by mail, fax, or phone. You can sign up for Hail Insurance any time during the crop year before October 21, when coverage terminates (if the crop has not already been harvested or destroyed). Applications can be submitted at any time during the cropping season, though in-office methods (in-person, phone) may only be made within our normal business hours.
As a Hail Insurance contract holder, you have the option to sign-up for the Continuous Hail Insurance Option by March 31, which does not require you to complete an annual Hail Insurance application and qualifies you for several premium-reducing incentives. If you do not enroll in the Continuous Hail Insurance Option, you must apply for Hail Insurance annually.
Hail Insurance coverage begins April 1 for the Continuous Hail Insurance Option, or at noon of the day after filing your application. Note: the postmarked date of your mailed application is considered your filing date. Please be advised MASC does not accept Hail Insurance applications by voicemail or delivered to the dropbox at any MASC Service Centres.
Use the Hail Insurance Premium Calculator to estimate the premiums you will pay for your selected Hail Insurance coverage.
Rates and Coverage
Premiums for Hail Insurance are calculated by risk area, crop type, coverage options, and early payment discounts.
Hail Premium Rates by Risk Area (2026)
Risk Area |
Basic Premium Rate |
|---|---|
Risk Area 1 |
2.4 per cent |
Risk Area 2 |
3.0 per cent |
Risk Area 3 |
2.3 per cent |
Risk Area 4 |
1.9 per cent |
Risk Area 5 |
3.3 per cent |
Risk Area 6 |
2.7 per cent |
Risk Area 7 |
2.6 per cent |
Risk Area 8 |
2.4 per cent |
Risk Area 9 |
2.8 per cent |
Risk Area 10 |
2.1 per cent |
Risk Area 11 |
1.5 per cent |
Risk Area 12 |
2.2 per cent |
Risk Area 14 |
1.5 per cent |
Risk Area 15 |
1.5 per cent |
Risk Area 16 |
1.7 per cent |
Premiums for Hail Insurance are calculated by crop type, risk area, coverage options, and discounts for early payment. Estimate your expected premiums using the Hail Insurance Premium Calculator.
Hail Insurance Calculator
Coverage
Coverage is for direct hail losses that occurred at the time of the storm. Subsequent losses on the damaged acres, such as disease, are not covered by Hail Insurance.
If the maturity of an insured crop is delayed as a result of hail and is subsequently damaged by frost, payment may be made for such damage, up to the maximum hail coverage.
Hail Insurance provides coverage on crops that are swathed (excluding crops cut for swath grazing).
Coverage is effective at noon the day following:
- The postmark date on the application;
- Receipt of the application in the insurance office in the case of personal delivery, fax or online transmission; or
- The date of the phone application.
Producers who have selected Continuous Hail Insurance will have coverage in effect when the crop emerges.
Coverage for hail and accidental fire terminates on October 21.
Coverage Options
Flexible coverage selections are available:
- Rutabagas, cooking onions, other onions, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, parsnips, peppers, pumpkins, leeks, cauliflower, and winter squash are insurable at $1000, $1500, or $2000 per acre.
- Strawberries are insurable at $3000, $4000 or $5000 per acre, but only when the strawberry plants have established and are no longer eligible for Strawberry Establishment Insurance under the AgriInsurance Contract.
- Potatoes and sweet corn have coverage available of $500, $700, or $900 per acre.
- All other eligible crops are insurable at $200, $300, or $400 per acre.
Important Dates
As an insured producer, you should be aware of each Hail Insurance and Continuous Hail Insurance Option deadline.
March 31
An AgriInsurance policy is required to purchase Hail Insurance through MASC. If you are not an AgriInsurance policy holder, you must apply by March 31.
Coverage for Hail insurance begins at noon of the day after the application is received.
March 31
Continuous Hail Insurance Option applications must be received by March 31 of the crop year. If Continuous Hail Insurance Option is selected, coverage begins when the crop emerges.
July 31
Continuous Hail Insurance Option participants qualify for a five per cent discount on their Hail Insurance premiums if paid by July 31.
October 21
Hail coverage remains in effect until the crop is harvested, destroyed or October 21, whichever comes first.
Considerations
Early Payment Discount
Insured producers who pay their Hail Insurance premium within three days of applying for Hail Insurance receive a five per cent premium discount.
Short Date Cancellation
Producers may cancel their Hail Insurance coverage and receive a refund of a portion of their hail premium. This provision allows producers to cancel Hail Insurance for acres that suffer an early season loss due to conditions such as frost or excess moisture that makes the crop non-viable.
Reporting
See the instructional documents included in the Seeded Acreage Report and Hail Insurance package, that is mailed out to all producers to assist with Hail reporting.
Claims
If you have inspected your fields and believe your crop(s) have been damaged by hail or fire, contact an MASC Service Centre immediately.
Claim Deadline: October 21 is the last day Hail Insurance is active. Claims must be registered within three business days of the occurrence of hail damage.
Claim Process: Hail Insurance claims can be registered via the myMASC portal or by phone, in-person, or by email.
Once your claim is registered, an MASC adjustor will visit to inspect all damaged crops before the crops are destroyed or harvested. If a damaged crop is ready to harvest and MASC was contacted, you may then proceed to harvest the crop, provided that representative strips are left for an adjustor to inspect. Representative strips must be at least 10 feet wide, and comprise either:
- the full length of the field for each 40 acres (or less) of damaged crop; or
- one-third of the distance in from the edge of the field and completely around the field.
After your claim is verified and approved, it will be processed and payment will be made via your preferred payment method.
Please note: a nil claim fee may be charged if a claim is filed for an undamaged field.
For more specific information about Hail Insurance claims, please see Hail Claim FAQs.
Compensation
Hail Insurance provides coverage against damage caused by hail, fire, or frost, as follows:
- Producers receive an indemnity payment if hail or fire damages 5% or more of the yield.
- Producers with an insured crop that experiences frost damage as a result of delayed maturity due to hail may receive an ex gratia payment from MASC for such damage, up to the maximum of their selected hail coverage.
- Producers receive a harvesting bonus for crops severely damaged by hail (greater than a 70% loss) or fire to compensate for increased harvest costs. The maximum bonus is 10%.
- Example: If a producer’s appraised loss is 73%, their harvesting bonus is 73% – 70% = 3%. This amount is added to the appraised loss for a total loss of: 73% + 3% = 76%)
Hail Claim Examples
Example 1
You purchase $400 per acre coverage of hail insurance on 150 acres of canola. After a hailstorm, an adjustor inspects the damage and determines that there is a 38 per cent loss in yield.
Hail coverage: $400 / acre
Percentage loss: 38 per cent
Your indemnity: $400 x 38 per cent x 150 acres = $22,800
Example 2
You purchased $400 per acre of hail insurance on 80 acres of flax. An adjustor inspects the field and determines that 40 acres has less than 5 per cent damage and the other 40 acres has 11 per cent damage.
Hail coverage: $400 / acre
Percentage loss: 40 acres (less than 5 per cent) = no indemnity, 40 acres with 11 per cent damage
Your indemnity: $400 x 11 per cent x 40 acres = $1,760
Knowledge Centre
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Beginning the Process
Contact your local MASC Service Centre to set up an appointment to meet with one of our dedicated specialists, to begin the next steps of the process.
