When you picture working as an insurance agent, you likely imaging working with common types of insurance, such as auto insurance, homeowners insurance and life insurance. Unless you’re a farmer or rancher, or otherwise connected to agriculture, crop insurance probably doesn’t come to mind. In fact, you may not even know this type of coverage exists. Yet it plays a crucial role of protection against unique risks faced by agricultural producers.
Crop insurance is a type of agriculture insurance that farmers, ranchers and other producers can use to protect themselves. Crop insurance is used to protect crops and livestock in cases of natural disaster or loss of revenue.
You don’t have to be a farmer or have an ag background to sell crop insurance. With the right education and tools, you can be an insurance agent who includes crop insurance sales as part or all of their business.
Here’s what you need to know if you’re thinking about getting started as a crop insurance agent.
What Types of Crop Insurance Are There?
There are a few different kinds of crop insurance that offer different types of protection to farmers and ranchers:
Federal Crop Insurance
This coverage meets farmers’ protection needs for planting. It covers losses and lower yields from natural disasters and events like destructive weather, excessive moisture, drought, fire, freezing, flooding, disease and insect damage. There are a range of different options, so farmers rely on agents to understand what protections they need.
The cost of the insurance depends on the value of the crop. Not all crops are covered in every area.
Crop-Hail Insurance
This type of coverage offers the protection you would expect from its name: It insures farmers against losses they might face if their crops are damaged by hail. As with federal crop insurance, there are lots of different coverage subcategories under crop-hail insurance.
Livestock Insurance
Livestock insurance protects against declining market prices, unexpected changes in quarterly revenue or loss of gross margin. Options include Dairy Revenue Protection, Livestock Risk Protection and Livestock Gross Margin Protection. Livestock markets can change fast, so it’s important that farmers and ranchers have the coverage they need and an agent like you there to support them.
Farmers can combine crop insurance with yield protection and price protection to help shield themselves from revenue losses that could come from low yields or changes in market prices.
The History of Crop Insurance
Private crop insurance sales began in the United States around 1880, when insurance companies offered it to farmers so they could protect themselves against losses from hail damage. The Federal Crop Insurance Program began in the 1930s.
Crop insurance has become a crucial part of coverage for farmers. In 1981, the Federal Crop Insurance Program insured only 45 million acres and $6 billion worth of crops. In 2025, 2.4 million policies protected more than 130 crops, mainly corn, soybeans, wheat and cotton, across more than 540 million acres, worth more than $200 billion.
Ninety percent of planted acres — 543 million acres — had crop insurance coverage for the 2024 crop year.
What Is a Crop Insurance Agent?
Crop insurance agents are professionals who sell these policies to farmers, ranchers and others in the agricultural field who need coverage. Crop insurance agents have the general knowledge a typical insurance agent needs as well as skills and knowledge specific to agricultural risks and coverage.
To guide their clients through their choices and help them get the coverage they need, crop insurance agents need knowledge of crops and farming/ranching practices. They also need strong risk management skills concerning crop production. Don’t have a background in ag? Don’t worry! Farm Bureau offers extensive training, tools and support to help every agent be successful.
What Are the Requirements to Become a Crop Insurance Agent?
Crop insurance licensing requirements vary by state, but in general, you need to have a high school diploma or GED. Additional education in agriculture is a plus, but it’s not required.
It can also help if you have a good understanding of different types of agriculture, are comfortable working with computers, have strong communication skills and can build relationships with farmers and other community members.
Crop insurance agents need to pass a crop insurance licensing examination and earn their crop-hail and multiple-peril insurance agent licenses to sell crop insurance policies.
How Is Selling Crop Insurance Different Than Other Insurance Sales?
Just about everyone needs life, home, auto and health insurance. So, there can be lots of opportunities in these areas, but also lots of competition. Building a business selling insurance in these areas is different than with crop insurance.
It’s mostly farmers, ranchers and other agricultural professionals who need crop insurance, so it’s more of a niche market.
Compared to other types of insurance, there may be more of a need to travel if you focus on crop insurance. Farms and ranches spread over many acres, and you may have to cover some distances to meet with potential clients and help evaluate their needs firsthand.
You’ll also need to understand the specifics of this industry. Perhaps more than any other insurance sector, you need to stay up to date on industry trends, USDA changes and legislative news. That way, you’re positioning yourself to protect your clients and their crops.
That said, selling crop insurance can be financially rewarding. Plus, it’s a field where you can make a difference and build strong relationships. You’re helping farmers and ranchers protect their crops and their livelihood.
How to Get Started as a Crop Insurance Agent
Are you interested in selling crop insurance? It can be a great opportunity if you want a future that’s rewarding both professionally and personally. Reach out to Farm Bureau and a District Manager can explain more about working as a crop insurance agent and how you can get started.