The Prime Minister’s Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is receiving an important change that directly affects farmers and especially if you’ve experienced losses to your crops due to attacks by wild animals or flooding on your farms. In an effort to reduce the biggest risk to your agriculture as well as to address the issue of waterlogging, the government has increased the PMFBY insurance coverage to include damages due to wild animals as well as floods of paddy. This new policy, which was announced in November 2025, will be implemented across the country starting with the Kharif the 2026 harvest.
The increased coverage comes as a result of the numerous requests from farmers especially in areas with forests that are susceptible to flooding. It will offer you much-needed security and financial stability through providing quick, technologically-enabled settlements of claims for specific and previously exempted losses.
PM Fasal Bima Yojana Expands
You are now secured from two main reasons for regular losses in your local area:
- Wild Animal Attacks- If your property is located near an area of forest or wildlife corridor You’re now eligible for compensation for claims if wild animals cause damage to your crops. This has been a long-standing request by many, since these losses were previously ruled out from compensation, leaving you with no recourse despite numerous incidents. Examples of this include injuries caused by boars, elephants or the nilgai.
- Paddy flooding- Waterlogging, usually caused by cyclones, monsoon floods or poor drainage particularly in eastern and coastal states can be now compensated. This will provide relief directly to farmers of paddy who regularly face entire-field crop loss due to excessive standing water.
The additions are located within”Localized Risk,” which is in the “Localized risk” section. This allows for the settlement of claims that are targeted to an area without the need to notify the entire district notification that it is the zone is a disaster.
PM Fasal Bima Yojana Overview
| Feature/Aspect | Details (as of Nov 2025) |
| New Coverage | Loss of crop due to attacks by wild animals and paddy flooding |
| Effective From | Kharif 2026 season |
| Previous Risks Covered | Natural natural disasters, pests and diseases, hailstorms, flooding and drought |
| Premium (Kharif) | 2.2% of total covered (farmer) with the remainder subventioned |
| Premium (Rabi) | 1.5 percent of total covered (farmer) The rest is subventioned |
| Claim Reporting | Within 72 hours using Crop Insurance App with geotagged photos |
| Benefit Regions | Flood-prone, forest-adjacent states, as well as states that are north eastern or hilly. |
| Official Website | https://pmfby.gov.in/ |
Why This Update Matters for You
As a farmer, you may expect to receive greater coverage. If your crops get wiped out by wild animals, or they die in fields with water and you lose your crops, it is not solely your responsibility. The government has reacted to decades of feedback, particularly from:
- Forest-bordering zones: Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand.
- Himalayan And Northeastern region: Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh.
- Coastal/flood-prone states: West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Odisha, Kerala, Maharashtra.
The new system uses digital reporting, which lets you upload a geotagged picture of the crop damaged within 72 hours via the Crop Insurance App. It is anticipated to speed up the process of settlement and cut down on paperwork, but experts acknowledge that the reporting deadline could be difficult for those who live in remote areas.
How to File Claims for These New Risks
- Inform us of your losses within 72 hours after the event.
- Upload geotagged images using the Crop Insurance official App.
- Claims will be resolved using transparent, scientific, and practical guidelines that have been developed specifically for the new risk areas.
PMFBY Coverage
Before November 2025 PMFBY protected crops from wildfires, insects hailstorms, landslides, diseases and drought but not paddy floods after 2018. The latest update has filled in these gaps. Your premiums are still low (2 percent in the case of Kharif, 1.5% for Rabi as well as 5% on cash/horticultural crops) in addition to greater amounts of subsidies provided from the state. All loanees and non-loanee farmers are qualified.
Who Will Benefit Most
The updates are most beneficial to:
- The farmers who are near the wildlife zones are particularly at risk of losing crops to nilgai, elephants as well as wild boar.
- Paddy farmers in areas that are susceptible to heavy monsoon rains, cyclones or flooding.
- Localized communities where minor catastrophes cause havoc, but don’t receive district-wide declarations of disaster.
With the extension of PM Fasal Bima Yajana now you have greater peace of mind as well as financial protection against a wider variety of risks that could affect your crop. If wild animals are destroying your fields, or sudden floodwaters that destroy your paddy and crops, these losses are now included in your insurance protection for through the Kharif period of 2026. Be sure to have your paperwork in order and ready to utilize the reporting tools that are offered by the government to help with seamless claims. This proactive strategy by the government doesn’t just fill in old protection gaps, but displays a dedication to making your farm’s future more safe.
FAQ’s
1. When will these new covers under PMFBY be implemented?
The new rules will be in effect beginning with beginning the Kharif 2026 season in India which will include all crops that are insured beginning with that season.
2. What should you do if your crop suffers from a wild animal attack or paddy inundation?
You must report any loss as soon as possible using your Crop Insurance App, uploading a geotagged image of the field affected for fast claim processing.
3. Are all states covered in the new covers?
All states are included, with particular attention paid to those that experience frequent wild animal attacks or paddy flooding that is recurring, like Odisha, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Maharashtra and many central and northeastern states.
Hi, I’m Harikesh, a content writer at cgncollege.com. I write engaging and informative articles covering the latest news, India, and global updates. My goal is to keep readers informed with accurate and insightful stories from around the world.
