Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

1 

Methodology Analysis for 

Weighting of Historical Experience

Revised Technical Report

July 12, 2011

By 

Keith H. Coble

Mary Frances Miller

Roderick M. Rejesus

Barry K. Goodwin

Ryan Boyles

Thomas O. Knight

Contact: 

George Duffield

Sumaria Systems

618-632-8450

gduffield@sumaria.net

Keith H. Coble

662-352-9491

khcoble11@aol.com
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

2 

Table of Contents

Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ 3

1. Study Background and Motivation .......................................................................................... 6

2. Background Summary of the Current RMA Loss Cost Rating System .................................. 9

3. Conceptual Assessment of Potential Weighting and Loss Cost Adjustments ....................... 12

a. Weather Weighting ........................................................................................................ 12

 b. Conceptual Assessment of Non-stationarity in Loss Cost ................................................. 17

4. Analysis of Weighting Issues ................................................................................................ 22

a. Weather Weighting ............................................................................................................ 22

 b. Analysis of Alternative Loss Cost Adjustments ................................................................ 47

5. Recommendations and Assessment of Alternative Approaches ........................................... 80

References.................................................................................................................................................87
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

3 

Executive Summary

In March 2010, Sumaria Systems Inc. (Coble, et al. 2010) provided a comprehensive review of 

the methodology and procedures used to determine APH target rates and COMBO rating under 

the Federal Crop Insurance Program.1

 The study provided several recommendations for 

modifying the current APH and Combo methodologies and suggested further evaluation of 

several other issues. One of those issues involved the current RMA practice of using equallyweighted, adjusted, historical, loss cost experience for a county/crop program as the cornerstone 

of the current rating procedures. Sumaria Systems was subsequently contracted by the USDA/ 

Risk Management Agency (RMA) to conduct additional analysis of this issue. The project 

commenced in September 2010. This report evaluates alternative methodologies for weighting 

and adjusting historical experience used to develop rates for the APH product. 

The statement of work for this project directs Sumaria to perform a detailed investigation and to 

develop an optimal methodology for weighting, or otherwise adjusting, RMA’s historical loss 

cost data in order to maximize its statistical validity for developing premium rates. 

We were directed to consider the Palmer Drought Index, other weather variables, changing 

severity of loss costs over time, and program participation changes over time. The statement of 

work also directed us to deliver a report that offers multiple approaches that compare and 

contrast the varying combinations of the factors based on statistical validity, feasibility, 

sustainability, and a balance of improvement versus complexity. That is the purpose of this 

report. It is expected that the Government will select the approach that best fits its needs and that 

is optimal for the program. We will also provide an implementation plan and models that RMA 

can incorporate into its rating methodology. 

Our team, including experienced crop insurance analysts, a leading professional actuary, and a 

professional climatologist, has reviewed the materials provided by RMA and additional materials 

that we collected independently. The credentials of our team are discussed in greater detail in 

Appendix C of this report. 

This report examines a number of conceptual considerations related to the issues we were tasked 

to address. Our team evaluated the alternative weather data available and issues associated with 

using those data to characterize weather probabilities. We have conducted analysis nationally for 

nine crops (apples, barley, corn, cotton, potatoes, rice, sorghum, soybeans, and wheat). Based on 

this analysis we make several recommendations.

Weather Probabilities

Recommendation 1. – We recommend that RMA use Climate Division Data for calculating cropspecific weather indexes. We believe the weather data collection that best meets the weatherdata criteria outlined in Section 4 of this report is the National Climatic Data Center’s Time Bias 

 

1 This report is available at http://www.rma.usda.gov/pubs/2009/comprehensivereview.pdf.
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

4 

Corrected Divisional Temperature-Precipitation-Drought Index data, also call the Climate 

Division Data. The climate division data provide several drought indexes and other weather 

variables time-aggregated to the monthly level and spatially-aggregated to the climate division 

level for the years back to 1895. Thus, it allows RMA to compare the weather experience 

incurred by the modern program to weather extending 80 years past the 1975 cut-off of loss-cost 

data. 

Recommendation 2. . – We recommend that RMA use fractional logit models estimated at the 

climate division level to relate loss cost experience to the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) 

and Cooling Degree Days (CDD). Time period variants of both weather indicators should be 

used for different crops and locations. An out-of-sample forecasting competition is suggested to 

select the time-period/variables for a crop/climate division, and if the models are not found 

statistically significant we recommend no weather weighting. This process creates a weather 

index from 1895-present which ranks the growing conditions experienced in each year.

Recommendation 3. – Given recommendation 2 we propose that RMA categorize the loss cost 

experience observed over the period chosen into weather ‘probability bins’ or categories. These 

bins would be chosen according to an incremental procedure which would select a parsimonious 

number of bins for the crop/climate division. Once observed loss costs are categorized within 

bins, all historical loss costs within a bin are given equal weather probability. The bins 

recommended would have variable width but equal probability. The variable width binning 

process we propose ensures that at least one year during the rating period is classified in each 

bin, thereby providing proper weights that reflect all of the historical weather data. 

Recommendation 4. – While not a directive in the statement of work, a conclusion reached 

during our analysis is that RMA should use all years available to calculate the catastrophic load 

and that extreme loss costs within the catastrophic load should be weighted using the weather 

index probabilities. Further, we recommend changing the catastrophic load cap to the 90th 

percentile and reducing the aggregation region for catastrophic load from the state level to a 

climate division, which is consistent with the weather weighting procedure. We also recommend 

dampening of the weight given to the most extreme weather years. Specifically, if the weather 

index for a particular year is above the 97th percentile, we recommend that the weight given to 

that year’s input to the catastrophe load be adjusted to reflect the percentile of the weather index. 

That is, if the data span 30 years of experience, a year with a weather index at the 98th percentile 

should be given 2% (1-in-50) weight rather than 3.33% (1-in-30) weight. The weight taken from 

the adjusted year should then be spread evenly among the remaining years. 

Changing Severity of Loss Costs 

We were also directed to consider changing severity of loss costs over time due to technological 

advances and changing agronomic conditions. Finally we were asked to address how to 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

5 

incorporate program participation changes over time in a way that represents the current 

program. In response we add: 

Recommendation 5. – A variety of factors suggests non-stationarity in some RMA loss cost data. 

Primary factors we perceive in RMA data are an expanding participant pool, evolving production 

systems, the advent of biotechnology, and changing program underwriting rules. In many cases 

it is difficult, if not impossible, to disentangle these effect. We recommend that RMA use 

adjustments to remove non-stationarity from the loss cost history when statistical analysis 

supports the adjustment. We recommend estimating these adjustments at the state or more 

aggregate level for a crop and that weather should be taken into account when these models are 

estimated. Further, symmetric caps on the magnitude of the adjustments should be imposed to 

avoid excessive modification of the loss history in a particular location. We examined several 

approaches including: 

1. A discrete adjustment to data prior to 1995 

2. A discrete adjustment to data prior to 1995 plus a trend adjustment since 1995 

3. Adjusting loss cost based as a function of net acres insured 

4. Shortening the loss history for base rates (not catastrophic loads) to twenty years

5. Decadal weights comparing median loss cost bins 

6. A linear recency effect

7. Net acre weights within probability bins 

All of these approaches have instances where they appear to perform well. The first three 

procedures require model estimation while the fourth is a procedure that would only slightly alter 

current RMA practices. We believe all could be made compatible with other RMA procedures 

and with weather weighting. However, we stress that where statistical analysis indicates nonstationarity in the loss cost history, making no adjustment results in a rate that is not actuarially 

sound. Ultimately we recommend a combination of option 1, 4 and 7. The discrete adjustment 

for data prior to 1995 would be applied to the adjusted loss cost data first. Specifically we would 

estimate the effect at a national level and calculate a percentage difference by state using the 

effect relative to the post-1995 average loss cost. Shortening the loss history for base rates to 20 

years while using more years for catastrophic loading reflects the recognition that a longer time 

series is needed to capture extreme events than for the risk quantified in the base rate. Finally, 

using net acre weighting within probability categories “bins’ recognizes the additional credibility 

of experience that is based on more exposed acres. 

 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

6 

1. Study Background and Motivation

The Federal Crop Insurance Program provides insurance products to agricultural producers in the 

U.S. In 2010, the program insured 256 million crop acres with a total liability of $78 billion. 

This public-private partnership involves private delivery of products designed and rated by 

USDA. Private firms sell the product and are compensated for delivery and offered reinsurance. 

Producers are offered subsidized rates for the various insurance products. These rates are 

predicated upon RMA being able to quantify the actuarially fair insurance rate. Specifically, the 

Federal Crop Insurance Act was amended by the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 

(PL106-224) to state the following regarding rate making: 

1) Sec. 508(i) (2) states “Review of rating methodologies. To maximize participation in the 

Federal crop insurance program and to ensure equity for producers, the Corporation shall 

periodically review the methodologies employed for rating plans of insurance under this subtitle 

consistent with section 507(c)(2).” 

2) Sec. 508(i) (3) states “Analysis of rating and loss history. The Corporation shall analyze the 

rating and loss history of approved policies and plans of insurance for agricultural commodities 

by area.” 

3) Sec. 508(d) (2) states “the amount of the premium shall be sufficient to cover anticipated 

losses and a reasonable reserve.” 

These three statements can be interpreted through standard actuarial definitions. The Statement 

of Principles Regarding Property and Casualty Insurance Ratemaking identifies a fundamental 

principle of insurance ratemaking as: “A rate is an estimate of the expected value of future 

costs.” Typically, the largest component of the rate is the provision for losses. While there are 

other important considerations in rate development, most of the actuarial foundations of 

ratemaking are intended to provide a framework for estimating the expected loss component of 

the rate. 

Because different crops are subject to different perils and, therefore, varying loss costs, the APH 

procedure establishes rates for each crop separately. It is rare that a single insured, for any

insurance coverage, will have a sufficiently large history to allow expected losses to be derived 

solely from the insured’s own loss history. Thus, it is common and appropriate to consider the 

aggregate experience of a group of similar risks in developing rates. For APH, the aggregation is 

primarily done geographically. Rates are developed by geographic area, usually the county. 

Thus, for each crop, the APH ratemaking process typically derives LCRs (and consequently 

rates) by county. 

In March 2010, Sumaria Systems Inc. (Coble, et al. 2010) provided a comprehensive review of 

the methodology and procedures used to determine APH target rates and COMBO rating under 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

7 

the Federal Crop Insurance Program.2 The study provided several recommendations for 

modifying the current APH and Combo methodologies and suggested further evaluation of 

several other issues. One of those issues involved the current RMA practice of using equallyweighted, adjusted, historical, loss cost experience for a county/crop program as the backbone of 

the current rating procedures. The current system uses a fairly lengthy data series of observed 

loss costs and gives each year’s experience equal weight. 

More specifically, RMA currently utilizes insurance experience back to 1975, where available. 

An earlier report by Josephson, et al. (2000) summarizes the history of how RMA has evaluated 

the length of experience period.3 According to this document, in a study in 1983 performed for 

FCIC, Milliman and Robertson (M&R) evaluated the length of the experience period. That study 

concluded “.... the FCIC should continue to use all available past history in the ratemaking 

process with possibly greater weight given to the more recent years.” (Josephson, et al. 2000, p. 

17). At the time of the 1983 study, each year was given equal weight in the determination of the 

county average. The suggestion of greater weight to more recent years was made because of 

concerns about the impact of amendments to the FCIC Act of 1980, and the possibility that the 

pre-1980 experience might not be relevant. The issue was addressed again by M&R in 1995, and 

in 1996. In the latter report, M&R again recommended no changes to equal weighting of all 

years. 

The review of the APH Rating Methodology by Sumaria (Coble, et al. 2010) recommended that 

RMA continue to use loss experience as the foundation of the rating system. However, the study 

recommended that RMA should evaluate alternative loss cost experience weighting procedures 

that incorporate additional information such as weather data, historical yields, or the amount of 

participation. The study recommended that RMA consider altering the weight given to its 

historical loss costs. The weights could potentially be based on a longer time series of weather 

variables. Another possibility, not necessarily mutually exclusive with the previous approach, is 

to adjust the weights according the level of participation (potentially measured by liability or the 

proportion of total acres insured). The study also suggested that changes in technology or, in the 

composition of the pool of insured producers over time may suggest that the loss costs observed 

from a particular historical event would be different in today’s crop insurance program (see 

Section 6.11 of Coble, et al. 2010). 

Sumaria Systems was subsequently contracted by the RMA to conduct additional analysis of this 

issue. The project commenced in September 2010. This report evaluates alternative 

methodologies for weighting historical experience used to develop rates for the APH product. 

The statement of work for this project directs Sumaria to perform a detailed investigation and to 

develop an optimal methodology for weighting, or otherwise adjusting, RMA’s historical loss 

cost data in order to maximize its statistical validity for developing premium rates. We were 

directed to consider the Palmer Drought Index and other weather variables to control for both 

 

2 This report is available at http://www.rma.usda.gov/pubs/2009/comprehensivereview.pdf. 3 This report is available at http://www.rma.usda.gov/pubs/2000/mpci_ratemaking.pdf . 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

8 

good and bad growing conditions. We were also directed to consider changing severity of loss 

costs over time due to technological advances and changing agronomic conditions. Finally we 

were asked to address how to incorporate program participation changes over time in a way that 

represents the current program. 

The statement of work also directed us to deliver a report that offers multiple approaches that 

compare and contrast the varying combinations of the factors based on statistical validity, 

feasibility, sustainability, and a balance of improvement versus complexity. That is the purpose 

of this report. It is expected that the Government will select the approach that best fits its needs

and that is optimal for the program. We will then produce a second report presenting an 

implementation plan or model that RMA can incorporate into its current methodology. 

Our team, including experienced crop insurance analysts, a leading professional actuary, and a 

professional climatologist, has reviewed the materials provided by RMA and additional materials 

that we collected independently. The credentials of our team are discussed in greater detail in 

Appendix C of this report. 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

9 

2. Background Summary of the Current RMA Loss Cost Rating System

The RMA rating procedures use historical loss cost experience for a crop in a county in 

developing county base rates. These county base rates are then adjusted for factors such as 

coverage level, unit format, crop type, and crop practice to obtain a rate for an insured unit. In 

this chapter we describe procedures followed in developing county base rates. The summary 

provided here draws heavily from detailed descriptions contained in an RMA internal document 

entitled “Rate Methodology Handbook: Actual Production History” which is applicable for 2011 

and subsequent years. We also draw upon the aforementioned 2010 Sumaria review (Coble et al. 

2010). 

The Statplan database forms the foundation for the APH rating process. The result of these 

procedures is the construction of a set of data tables. Two of these tables, the production ratio 

table and the county summary table, contain the essential data that support the actual production 

history rating process. The production ratio table contains the data used in computing production 

ratios, which are discussed in subsequent sections, and the county summary table contains 

information summarized at the county level and used in evaluating specific risks such as 

prevented planting. The following are several specific issues addressed in the development of 

the Statplan database. 

• Adjusting for Winter Kill Experience in winter wheat and barley. 

• High Risk Experience -- Because high-risk experience is not considered to be consistent 

with other land in a county, this insurance experience is excluded from the production 

tables upon which base rates are determined.

• Whole Farm Units-- The Revenue Assurance product offered whole farm units which 

combine the coverage for two or more crops in a county. Experience for this combined 

coverage cannot be segregated by crop and is therefore excluded from all Statplan data 

tables.

• Prevented Planting-- Prevented planting is not considered to be a production loss and so 

prevented planting indemnities and associated liability are excluded from the production 

ratio tables. These indemnities and liabilities are captured in other Statplan databases for 

use in prevented planting reviews. 

• Written Agreements-- Insurance experience established under a written agreement is 

excluded from the standard Statplan rating data.

• Late Planted/Planting Adjustments-- Late planting insurance experience is first adjusted 

to reflect the correct liability/coverage (if it were not late planted) and is then included in 

the Statplan database. 

• Replants-- Indemnities that are paid to insured producers to cover the cost of replanting 

are not included in the base rate calculations and thus are not stored in the yield ratio or 

county summary tables. However, the liability and any indemnities paid on replanted 

acreage are included in the Statplan tables and in base rate development because the 

acreage is planted under conditions that are expected to produce at least the guaranteed 

yield.
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

10 

• Revenue Adjustments-- Three revenue insurance products were introduced by the RMA in 

the mid 1990s--Revenue Assurance (RA), Crop Revenue Coverage (CRC), and Income 

Protection (IP). All of these products insure producers against shortfalls of gross revenue 

below a guaranteed level and in all three the yield risk component of the coverage is 

based on APH procedures. RMA transforms indemnities for CRC and RA to be equal to 

what they would have been had the coverage been based on the fixed APH Price Election 

rather than the revenue plan base price and harvest price. The result is a calculated 

indemnity, for insured units that are indemnified, that is equal to what the indemnity 

would have been under APH yield insurance. This achieves consistency within the 

Statplan data across the APH yield insurance product, CRC and RA, with or without a 

harvest price feature or option4.

• Revenue Adjustments for Replanted Acreage-- The process described in the previous 

section is used to convert revenue product loss experience to equivalent yield losses. A 

similar process is followed for replant losses.

• Coverage Level--The common coverage level used as the base for APH rating is the 65% 

coverage level. Therefore, loss experience for units insured at levels above 65% must be 

adjusted down to reflect what it would have been at the 65% coverage level and loss 

experience for coverage levels below 65% must be adjusted upward to what it would 

have been at the 65% coverage level. 

• Once RMA has adjusted existing loss experience in the Statplan data development 

process, the actuarial branch begins a multi-step process to develop a target rate for each 

county/crop program. In effect, the target rate is the rate RMA believes should serve as 

the base upon which rates in a county are anchored. 

RMA uses a catastrophic loading procedure to reduce the influence of outliers in the experience 

of a county/crop program. Because crop losses are often characterized by infrequent but severe 

losses, even several decades of county loss experience may be subject to sampling error. 

Catastrophic loading is an actuarial technique used to mitigate the effect of sampling error when 

the true magnitude of sampling error is not known. Catastrophic loading is intended to remove 

anomalous experience from the county/crop data while preserving normal loss experience. In 

general, losses deemed catastrophic are spread across all counties for a crop in a state. Thus, the 

capping of loss cost experience in a county/crop program is not a load in the sense that it is an 

additional factor added to rates, but rather it redistributes loss experience within a state/crop 

program. 

The current RMA procedure censors the county loss experience at the 80th percentile of the 

historical county experience. No distributional assumptions are required for the procedure. To 

illustrate this, assume 30 years of data are available for the county/crop program. Then the 80th 

percentile of the loss cost is the 24th highest observed loss cost ratio (note when the percentile 

does not fall on a discrete observation, a linear interpolation is used). All indemnities above the 

 

4 IP experience is not included in APH base rate calculations because of differences in product design.
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

11 

truncation point are aggregated to the state/crop program level. For a county, the catastrophic 

(CAT) indemnity is calculated as follows:
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

12 

3. Conceptual Assessment of Potential Weighting and Loss Cost Adjustments

a. Weather Weighting

One issue that should be considered in the weighting of historical loss experience is the 

representativeness of weather experience reflected in the Statplan data used for calculating 

county base rates. Statplan is a loss experience data set that utilizes information from 1975 

(where available) onward (i.e. 35 years of data in 2010). In many lines of insurance, 35 years of 

loss history would be considered a very “long” time series of data to use in rate making. 

However, 35 years may be a relatively short series for accurately reflecting probabilities of the 

weather events that are a dominant factor in crop losses.

For example, given the current use of simple averaging of loss cost data to calculate county base 

rates, the severe loss years of 1988 and 1993 are each given 1/35 weight but the long term 

frequency of the weather events that drove these losses may be greater or less than 1/35. It could 

be that the 1988 drought was a 1 in 20 year event rather than a 1 in 35 year event. If so, a larger 

weight than 1/35 would be appropriate for that year. Alternatively, it could be that drought 

events observed in 1988 only occur 1 in 50 years in a longer weather time series and should be 

given less weight than 1/35. The intent of weather weighting of loss cost data is to bring 

additional information from a longer series of weather variables to more properly weight the loss 

cost data used to calculate average county rates.

In developing a system to weight short loss experience data using longer weather/climate data, 

one has to consider the following issues: (1) the weather or climate data to use for weighting 

(e.g., the length of the data, the degree of coverage and/or level of aggregation, the relationship 

of such weather to losses, and the availability of weather variables), and (2) the development of a 

procedure to properly weight each year in the short loss data (e.g., categorizing each loss data 

year and creating weights for each year in a manner that is consistent with other parts of the 

rating process).

Weather/Climate Data

There is an abundance of weather data available in the US that can be used for weather-based 

weighting of loss experience data. However, there are several issues to consider in choosing the 

weather data to be used. First, one has to consider the length of the different climate data series 

that are available. In the context of weighting insurance data, one would like to have the longest 

series of historical weather data available. This would help ensure that different weather 

outcomes, especially the rare extreme weather events that cause losses, would be adequately 

represented in the longer data series. Information about the probabilities of different weather 

events will be better captured if one has a very long climate data series.

However, the need for a long data series must be balanced with the second issue to consider – the 

degree of coverage and level of aggregation. For example, there may be weather data that are 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

13 

available for 200 years, but these data sets may only contain data for a particular part of the 

country and/or only at the national level. Crop insurance covers a large portion of the US and so 

weather data covering most or all states are needed. In addition, there is significant 

heterogeneity of the weather events that drive losses at the county level for a particular year. 

There is value in having data at a lower level of aggregation (i.e., county level or 5 x 5 mile 

grids) rather than at the national level only. However, in using weather/climate data at lower 

levels of aggregation, it may be the case that data interpolation methods were involved in the 

construction of the data, especially at the sub-county level where there frequently are no weather 

stations in a particular location.

Another factor to consider in choosing the weather or climate data to use in weighting loss 

experience is the availability of different weather variables that can be used. Longer series of 

climate data may be available for some basic variables like temperature or precipitation, but 

variables like drought indexes may not be available for this longer period of time. Climate data at 

lower levels of aggregation and with wider coverage may only be available for certain weather 

variables and may be absent for others. Hence, to have flexibility in determining the weather 

variables that can help to explain losses, the availability of different weather variables in a 

particular climate data set is also an important consideration.

Finally, in choosing climate data for weather weighting crop insurance loss cost data, the source 

of the data and the availability of the data in the future are also important considerations. The 

source of the climate data has to be reliable and must have a good reputation in terms of 

reporting weather/climate data. Moreover, there should be a reasonable expectation that the 

weather/climate data will continue to be available in the future to support updating of weather 

weights as more data become available.

Development of Weather Weighting Procedure 

Once the weather data have been chosen, the next thing to consider is the development of a 

weather weighting procedure. The first important issue to evaluate is the choice of weather 

variables to use in classifying and weighting each loss experience year. A number of weather 

variables during a specific time period could be related to crop losses and one approach is to 

simply include all available weather variables (and all time periods) that exist in the chosen 

climate data. However, this straightforward approach would add complexity to the procedure and 

might generate a lot of noise, especially if there are a number of weather variables in specific 

time periods that do not have a statistically significant effect on losses. Further, there are often 

many different weather variables available such that the capacity to use everything that might 

exist is limited. Hence, there has to be a balance between simplicity/noise in the data and the 

number of weather variables (for different time periods) used in the weighting. Consulting the 

professional literature should provide some guidance as to which weather variables are relevant 

to yields and what time period to use (i.e., what weather variable at what time periods best 

explain crop losses). Procedures to evaluate the “best” combination of weather variables to use 

should also be considered. For example, regressions of losses on different weather variables at 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

14 

different time periods could be conducted and in-sample or out-of-sample model fitting criteria 

such as the adjusted r-square or a root mean squared error (MSE) can be used to evaluate the best 

combination of weather variables to be used in the weighting. Presumably, the weather variables 

and time periods chosen will be the ones that “best” explain crop losses over time. A weather 

index can then be created using the chosen weather variables and time periods. One issue to 

consider here is the level of aggregation to use in constructing the combinations of weather 

variables and time periods to be used. In other words, will the same weather variables and time 

periods be used for each county, state, and crop? Alternatively, is one combination appropriate 

for the entire nation? 

Based on the weather index developed, each year in the “shorter” loss experience data set has to 

be classified relative to the longer term weather index. This will allow for developing the proper 

weights to assign to each of the actual loss experience years in the shorter data series. There are a 

number of ways to classify a year and assign a weight. One approach is to generate a histogram 

with equal bin widths and variable probabilities (or frequencies) (see Coble et al., 2010, p. 85 

and Figure 3.1).5

 The bins or groupings with equal widths can then be used to classify each year 

of the loss experience (i.e. which bin does the loss year belong to given the actual experience) 

and the probability associated with the bin assigned to the year will serve as the weather weight. 

An alternative to this approach is to develop variable bin or grouping widths with equal 

probabilities associated with each bin (See Figure 3.2). The bins or groupings will again be used 

to classify each year, but since these are variable width bins with equal probability, there is no 

need to have differential weights for each actual year of experience. In both of these procedures, 

one has to evaluate the number of bins to be used and make sure that all bins are represented in 

the shorter loss data. If not, the weighted average may not fully reflect the available historical 

experience. In addition, the complexity of the procedure and the ease of implementation should 

also be a considered in choosing the approach to classify and assign weights to the actual loss 

years.

Another issue to consider in the development of the weather weighting procedure is its 

consistency with other rating procedures such as the catastrophic loading (i.e. state excess load). 

To the extent possible, the proposed weather weighting procedure should allow for the 

catastrophic loading currently used by RMA, which caps the adjusted loss cost ratio at the 80th

percentile for all available years. There should also be some conceptual evaluation of the 

appropriateness of the catastrophic loading methods, given the introduction of weather weighting 

in the rating system.

 

5 Alternative methods such as generating kernel densities or fitting parametric distributions can also be used instead 

of histograms. However, one should recognize that these more complex procedures may have implications for 

implementation. One has to weigh the relative benefits of more complex approaches against the efficiency and ease 

of more simple approaches (like using a histogram).
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

15 

Figure 3.1. Histogram with equal bin widths and variable probabilities for each bin (508 

compliant data is in Appendix D-1). 

0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12 0.14

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

P

e

r

c

e

n

t

pl cr2
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

16 

Figure 3.2. Variable bin widths with equal probabilities for each bin.
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

17 

b. Conceptual Assessment of Non-stationarity in Loss Cost 

The objective of ratemaking is to provide an estimate of the expected value of future costs. 

While historical exposure and loss experience provide the starting point for ratemaking, the 

relevance of the historical experience must always be considered. The Statement of Principles 

Regarding Property and Casualty Insurance Ratemaking6 (Casualty Actuary Society 1988) notes 

that ratemaking begins with historical experience, but then goes on to discuss necessary 

considerations in the ratemaking process that may affect the reliance the actuary can place on the 

data. Among other considerations, the Principles (Casualty Actuary Society 1988) call on the 

actuary to consider the following factors.

• Homogeneity of the data: including subdividing or combining data so as to minimize the 

distorting effects of operational or procedural changes. 

• Trends: past and prospective changes in claim costs, frequencies, and exposures. 

• Policy provisions: past and prospective changes in coinsurance, coverage limits, 

deductibles and other policy provisions. 

• Mix of business: past and prospective changes in the distribution of policies among 

deductible, coverage selections or type of risk that may affect frequency or severity of 

claims. 

• Operational changes: past and prospective changes in the marketing or underwriting 

process. 

Where the effect of such changes can be measured (historically) or projected (prospectively), the 

actuary adjusts the data accordingly. There is extensive actuarial literature on adjustments such 

as trending of loss and premium or exposure data, including a standard practice on trending 

procedures in ratemaking (Actuarial Standards Board 2009).7 

The property/casualty ratemaking process is a dynamic activity – insured characteristics, the mix 

of business and the economic environment are constantly shifting, making incorporation of 

appropriate adjustments for such changes extremely difficult even for relatively recent 

experience. Precedent and common usage within the actuarial profession steer the actuary to 

minimize the length of time spanned by the historical data used in the ratemaking process to just 

enough to be statistically reliable. In the absence of statistically reliable data beyond a relatively 

short historical time period, actuaries turn to credibility weighting against other contemporary 

estimates rather than expanding the history.

The reasoning behind using a relatively short time span for an insurer in a competitive market is 

clear: an insurer’s mix of business is bound to shift over time as its market position changes. 

 

6 This document can be found at http://www.casact.org/standards/princip/sppcrate.pdf.

7 This document can be found at http://www.actuarialstandardsboard.org/pdf/asops/asop013_114.pdf.
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

18 

However, it is not only competitive pressures that affect the mix within an insurer’s experience. 

Characteristics of the same insureds change over time: policyholders age, their homes become 

older, they turn over older vehicles for new ones, etc. Commercial exposures also change over 

time: ownership changes, workplace safety improves, manufacturing processes are upgraded, etc. 

Insurer procedures also affect the underwriting results: policy provisions and settlement 

processes evolve over time. Capturing – and appropriately reflecting – all such changes (and 

their interactions) is virtually impossible. 

Thus, it is typical for the actuary to consider how short a time period is required for reliable 

ratemaking rather than how long is the period of available data. In general, the larger the size of 

the exposure, the smaller the time period utilized by the ratemaking actuary. While relatively 

small commercial carriers may use five to ten years of their own experience (weighted against 

rating bureau rates) and small personal lines carriers typically use five years of experience for 

property exposures and three to five years for automobile ratemaking, the National Council on 

Compensation Insurance (the rating bureau for workers compensation in most states) utilizes 

only two policy years in its standard ratemaking procedure. The NCCI’s database encompasses 

virtually all of the insured business within a state, so the mix of business itself is not an issue; 

however, changes within the insureds themselves are still assumed to be present, and the NCCI 

limits the historical data in its ratemaking process to the minimum needed to produce a stable 

indication. 

In cases where the data over a short time span are not considered to be fully credible, it is also 

common practice for the actuary to use a somewhat longer time period (such as five years of data 

rather than three), but then to judgmentally assign less credibility to the older periods through the 

use of decreasing weights. 

The exception to the common practice of using fewer rather than more years of data exists in 

procedures used to account for very infrequent extreme events. In that case, the actuary is forced 

to expand the time spanned by the ratemaking data in order to ensure that a reasonable estimate 

of the frequency and/or severity of large loss events are captured. In order to preserve the 

desired short-term nature of the historical data used for the non-catastrophic portion of the rate, 

extreme events are sometimes projected entirely separately from the rest of the rate. This 

method assumes that large events are independent of the smaller events, and also that the need to 

capture the extreme events in the rate outweighs shifts in the business that have not been 

captured by adjustments to the data. Alternatively and more typically, extreme event data over a 

longer time period are analyzed in terms of their ratio to losses excluding extreme events, and 

then the projected extreme event ratio is applied to the non-catastrophic portion of the rate 

(Werner and Modlin 2010).8

 This technique assumes that the extreme event ratio is relatively 

constant over time, and when it is applied to a non-catastrophic rate based on recent data, any 

changes in the mix of business will be captured. This assumption tends not to hold in the event 

of natural catastrophes because (a) the time period of available data is too short to capture the 

potential range of loss outcomes and (b) the mix of business has shifted dramatically toward 

 

8 This publication is available at http://www.casact.org/pubs/Werner_Modlin_Ratemaking.pdf see pages 107-111.
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

19 

higher exposure areas, resulting in understated historical catastrophe to non-catastrophe ratios. 

The third method for catastrophe ratemaking involves direct modeling of the projected 

experience using a comprehensive tabulation of the exposures and an extreme event model 

derived from outside sources. The insurance industry typically relies on sophisticated natural 

catastrophe models for its hurricane and earthquake exposures and on scenario-based models for 

extreme events such as terrorism.

When applying these principles to RMA’s ratemaking process, we ask the following questions. 

• How are current conditions and the mix of business different from those reflected in the 

historical experience, and can the data be adjusted appropriately?

o Are there identifiable significant shifts in the program that would be expected to 

affect all data prior to a particular date?

o Are there identifiable trends in the experience that can be captured?

• How many years of data are necessary for determination of the base rate?

• How many years of data are necessary for determination of the catastrophe provision? 

Explicit Adjustments for Changes 

We have observed that there is a significant discontinuity in the data for many crops that occurs 

around 1995. This corresponds to known changes in the way the program was administered and 

to a marked increase in market penetration. Figure 3.3 provides evidence of the change in 

RMA’s book of business over the past three decades. This graph plots the net acres insured for 

the six major crops (corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, rice, barley) from 1981-2009. One can see a 

distinct change in participation in 1995. Prior to 1995 there had been a strong upward trend in 

participation but legislative changes in 1994 resulted in an almost doubling of insured acres in 

1995. Further, after a slight drop off in 1996 and 1997 net acres have largely remained above 

170,000 acres. While not shown in this graph, much of the 1995 participation was in 

catastrophic coverage policies, much of that acreage has now migrated to buy-up coverage. 

This type of program dislocation is appropriately captured in the ratemaking process by 

measuring the average effect of the change at a macro level and then applying an adjustment to

the data prior to the change. Comparable adjustments, for example, can be found in the NCCI’s 

process for accounting for benefit changes adopted by state legislatures. The expected effect of 

the benefit change is calculated, and all experience prior to the change is adjusted uniformly for 

the expected effect so long as it remains in the ratemaking data. Once the years prior to the 

change roll off, no adjustment is necessary. 

Even after adjusting for the 1995 change and after accounting for weather, there is a discernable 

downward trend in loss costs for some crops in some regions. This may reflect changes in 

technology, including the increasing prominence of biotech crops, or other factors such as 

program changes or shifts in participation. Again, the loss experience should be adjusted at least 

to current trend levels, and consideration should be given to whether the trend should be 

extrapolated into the future. 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

20 

As discussed in our prior study (Coble et al. 2010), if there have been shifts in the mix of 

business by type or practice – including shifts in technology that may not be directly reflected in 

the rates – the history should also be adjusted as much as possible to reflect current exposures. 

Such changes may be sufficiently captured in a trend analysis, but different changes can affect 

the experience differently, making it difficult to capture their effects using trend.

These adjustments should be made to the uncapped adjusted loss costs. 

Selection of the Number of Years for Basic Ratemaking 

RMA’s program differs from most property/casualty exposures in that the loss experience is very 

highly correlated with weather patterns. Even after capping the experience at the 80th or 90th

percentile, it is still very important to capture a representative sample of weather outcomes 

within the ratemaking process. The need to capture variation in the weather precludes the 

exclusive use of a very short time series of data as would be used in a more typical exposure. 

However, once we have identified how “typical” a year’s weather is via the weather index, we 

need only to ensure that we have captured sufficiently many observations within each range of 

weather outcomes. Although the range of modeled loss costs within the bins at the high end of 

the weather index will be very large, the loss costs within high end bins will generally be capped 

by the catastrophe procedure prior to their use in the basic ratemaking procedure. 

We examined the number of observations (years of data) necessary to ensure that there is a high 

probability that no one year will get too much weight in the calculation due to being the sole 

observation in a very large bin. With only 15 years of observations, the probability that the 

number of bins required to ensure at least one observation per bin will drop to five and that there 

will still be only one observation in one or more of the bins is about 25%. With 20 years of data, 

that probability drops to about 8%, with 25 years it’s around 2.5%, and with 30 years of data it is 

about 1%. 

The high probability of placing 20% weight on a single observation indicates that 15 years of 

data are probably insufficient. However, at some point actuarial judgment would lobby for 

dropping data years that are so far removed in time as to be unlikely to be representative of 

current experience: hence we recommend that RMA consider limiting the number of years of 

data for base ratemaking to 20 or at most 25. 

Judgmental Credibility Weighting for More Recent Data 

Given the long time span required to assure a reasonable weather distribution in the base rate 

calculation, generally accepted actuarial practice would consider judgmentally assigning less 

weight to older years in the data. The effect of the necessary adjustments for program changes 

and trend discussed above tend to compound over time, causing the loss cost estimates from 

older years to become more and more dependent on estimated adjustments over time. The 

proposed method for grouping the data by weather indexes would allow for a judgmental 

credibility weighting of observations based on time within the same weather index range. 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

21 

Selection of the Time Period for the Catastrophe Load 

When considering the catastrophe load, however, the maximum amount of relevant data should 

be used. RMA’s current procedure uses all available data, and we recommend that the full data 

series continue to be used, with the possible exclusion over time of early years if the covered 

acreage is very low relative to current acreage. On the other hand, if the weather index for a 

particular year is above the 97th percentile, one may want to adjust the weight given to that year’s 

input to the catastrophe load to reflect the percentile of the weather index. That is, if the data 

span 30 years of experience, a year with a weather index at the 98th percentile should be given 

2% (1-in-50) weight rather than 3.33% (1-in-30) weight. The weight taken from the adjusted 

year should then be spread evenly among the remaining years. 

Figure 3.3 Net acre insured change from 1981 to 2009 (508 compliant data is in Appendix 

D-2).

0

50,000,000

100,000,000

150,000,000

200,000,000

250,000,000

300,000,000

1980198119821983198419851986198719881989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010

Net Acres Insured 1980-2010 

Cat Coverage Buy up
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

22 

4. Analysis of Weighting Issues

a. Weather Weighting

In order to quantify the relative frequency of extreme weather events that may be associated with 

loss experience, a reference set of climate data is needed that meets the following idealized 

criteria.

(1) Provides climate information across all geographies where loss experience is 

observed. 

(2) Provides climate information at sufficiently local scales to explain local loss 

experience.

(3) Provides the longest possible temporal record of climate events to ensure adequate 

analysis of the frequency of both normal and extreme climates. 

(4) Provides specific climate variables that provide meaningful explanation of loss 

experience.

(5) Is operationally and routinely updated for use in future analysis and weighting. 

There are several climate datasets that partially meet these 5 criteria. First, the National Oceanic 

and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center (CPC) Unified 

Precipitation Analysis is an interpolation of the available point-based precipitation gauge data 

collected by both NOAA and USGS. It meets the above criteria (1), (2), and (5), but provides 

only information on precipitation and has data only since 1948. Important information on 

temperature and drought are not provided, and these data do not allow for characterization of the 

relative frequency of known extreme drought events in the 1920s and 1930s nor hurricane or 

flooding events prior to 1948. 

A national analysis of Palmer Drought Severity Index developed by Dai et al. (2004) meets 

criteria (1), (3), and possibly (4), but is not updated regularly and provides drought severity 

information only every 250 kilometers which is insufficient to explain local loss experience.

Another group of data that partially meet the criteria are atmospheric model simulations, 

including NCEP re-analysis and the North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR). These 

products meet criteria (1), (2), (4), and (5), but NCEP re-analysis (and similar) only provide 

information since 1948 and NARR only since 1979. 

The data collection that best meets all 5 criteria is the National Climatic Data Center’s Time Bias 

Corrected Divisional Temperature-Precipitation-Drought Index data, also called the Climate 

Division Data. Climate Division data provide monthly, serially complete information on 

temperature, precipitation, relative severity of dry and wet periods using drought indexes, and 

degree day metrics of heat and cold accumulation since 1895 for the continental United States, 

grouped into 344 divisions. Updates are operationally provided each month by NOAA National 

Climatic Data Center. A nice description of the history and current status of climate division data 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

23 

is provided by Guttman and Quayle (1996). More technical details on the data and adjustment 

methods are provided in NCDC (1994) and Karl et al. (1996). 

Climate Division data are produced using more than 5,000 National Weather Service 

Cooperative observer gauge reports. Climate Division boundaries group stations of similar 

climate into regions that follow state political borders. In most cases, the climate division 

boundaries also follow county boundaries. However, in regions with more complex geography 

(including some states with complex topography and/or shorelines), climate division boundaries 

follow river basins within each state. While climate divisions were originally designed in 1912, 

boundaries were adjusted in the 1940s to align with crop reporting districts or drainage basins. 

The Climate Division boundaries are shown in Figure 4.1a. In some instances climate divisions 

cross split counties. The assignment of counties used in our study is shown in Figure 4.1b. This 

allocation is based on relative area, geography and other factors.

There are limitations to using Climate Division data. Climate division boundaries are not always 

delineated for climate homogeneity. Especially in the mountainous terrain of the western US, the 

boundaries follow drainage basins and all locations within those boundaries are not likely to have 

very similar climate characteristics as climate changes quickly with changes in elevation. 

Another weakness is that the station network used for each division calculations is not constant. 

Stations move, cease operation, and new ones are introduced throughout the history of the 

observing network. This introduces some error with any divisional calculations. Another 

weakness is the accuracy of division level data prior to 1931, when regression equations are used 

to estimate division-level data from statewide average data that were standard during that period.

Despite these weaknesses, Climate Division data provide the best operationally available climate 

information for crop loss analysis. They provide serially complete national coverage (with no 

missing data) at a geographic scale sufficient to characterize local climate extremes with a period 

of record sufficient to identify the relative frequency of climate events that may be associated 

with loss experience.

Data Preparation 

The development of the weather weighting procedure starts by merging the climate data set (see 

previous sub-section) with RMA’s Statplan loss experience data (See Figure 4.1 for the different 

climate divisions within states). Note that the climate data are observed at the climate division 

level as described above, while the RMA Statplan data are reported at the county level.9 This 

dichotomy necessitates the use of an additional data set that assigns counties to particular climate 

divisions. Most counties are entirely or nearly entirely contained by a climate division. Counties 

associated with each climate division are provided by NOAA NCDC. However, as some 

 

9 The county loss data utilized in this study are typically aggregated for all types/practices (with the exception of 

wheat, where the data are separated to identify winter and spring wheat). This type of aggregation is consistent with 

the county level data used in calculating the base county rate (see Coble et al., 2010 p. 38). 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

24 

divisions (especially in the mountainous western US) are delineated to follow drainage basins, 

there are many counties (approximately 300) that are split by climate division boundaries. We 

developed a data set such that each county is assigned to a specific climate division10 based on 2 

criteria:

(1) Counties that are split by 1 or more climate divisions get assigned the climate division 

that covers the greatest amount of area in the county. 

(2) For counties that are not easily assigned according to (1), the county is assigned to the 

larger climate division as the larger climate division should have more weather stations in 

the aggregated value and therefore should have more confidence in the weather 

representation.

 

Based on this data set we are able to generate a merged climate-loss experience data set at the 

county and at the climate division levels. 

All counties within a particular climate division have the same weather data. The loss data also 

must be aggregated to the climate division level. This is done by summing the adjusted 

indemnities and liabilities of all counties within a climate division level and then calculating loss 

cost ratios (LCR) based on these summed amounts. The climate division data are used to 

generate a weather index that is needed for classifying loss years, while the county data are used 

in averaging the loss cost data to calculate a base county rate.

Weather Index Development

A critical component in the development of a weather weighting approach is the choice of the 

weather variables that are used to determine the relative weights assigned to each year of loss 

data. One can use a single weather variable or a combination of different weather variables. 

Based on the literature (Wilhemy, Hubbard and Wilhite 2002) and the expert opinion of the 

climatologist in our team, we chose to examine a parsimonious set of weather variables – the 

Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) and Cooling Degree Days (CDD). PDSI is a particularly 

good weather variable to examine because it subsumes effects of both precipitation and 

temperature and provides a locally relative scale ranging from very wet to very dry conditions. 

Wilhemy, Hubbard and Wilhite 2002 show that much loss experience is associated with drought 

conditions, but PDSI also allows for very wet (flood) conditions that may also be associated with 

loss. CDD allows for examining heat units for a particular time period that affects crop growth. 

CDD is equivalent to Growing Degree Days (GDD) at base 65F, and allows exploration of loss 

 

10 We build on the NOAA data set that assigns particular counties to climate divisions to develop this data set. This 

data set cannot be used ‘as is’ because there are a number of counties (~300) that are assigned to multiple climate 

divisions. The starting point for the assignments is based on the listing provide by NOAA NCDC. The climatologist 

in our team (Dr. Ryan Boyles) set a criterion to decide which county is uniquely assigned to a particular climate 

division (see previous section). In addition, there are county codes created by RMA that are unique to the program 

(and FSA), such as having East (code=155) and West (code=156) Pottawatamie, IA while the NOAA data simply 

have Pottawatamie, IA (code =155). These occurrences were accommodated in the data set developed.
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

25 

experience that may be associated with extended cold or heat that would not be captured in 

PDSI.

For the PDSI, we created two variables to represent positive PDSI and negative PDSI values. 

Positive PDSI values represent wet spells (i.e., larger positive numbers indicate more moisture) 

and negative PDSI values represent drought conditions (i.e., larger negative numbers represent 

more severe drought conditions). In addition, the positive and negative PDSIs we use are limited 

to the May-June and July-August periods (i.e., average May-June and average July-August 

PDSIs are utilized in the study). In summary, four PDSI measures are examined in the 

development of our weather index – May-June PDSI for positive values (mj_pdsi_p), May-June 

PDSI for negative values (mj_pdsi_n), July-August PDSI for positive values (ja_pdsi_p), and 

July-August PDSI for negative values (ja_pdsi_n). The CDD variables used in developing the 

weather index are total season CDD (from May to September) (total_cdd) and June-July total 

CDD (jaj_cdd). The June-July periods are periods in which crop growth is frequently adversely 

affected by heat units.11 

Based on these six weather variables, an index is created by estimating a fractional logit 

regression model (at the climate division level) where the dependent variable is the climate 

division adjusted loss cost ratio and the independent variables are the six weather variables 

discussed above (See Papke and Wooldridge 1994). Fractional logit regression is used to account 

for the proportional nature of the data and censoring of loss costs at zero and one. This approach 

ensures that predicted values do not fall below zero or above one. 12 Based on our investigation 

of the degree of censoring of the data at zero, we believe that using the fractional logit is 

appropriate in this case. The degree of zero censoring in the data ranges from 6-11% for corn and 

soybeans, to about 30% for barley and potatoes (See Figure 4.2 for zero censoring in the corn 

data and Figure 4.3 for zero censoring in the barley data). On the other hand, the degree of 

censoring at one is significantly lower in the data and it is below 1% for most crops (the 

exception is apples with censoring at one of about 1.1% (See Figure 4.4)). 

To have an even more parsimonious model specification, an out-of-sample competition for each 

state is conducted to determine which combination among the six initial weather variables best 

 

11 These six variables apply to all crops except winter and spring wheat. For winter wheat, the following variables 

are used: Sept./Oct average PDSI (positive and negative), April /May average PDSI (positive and negative), 

September to May total season CDD, and March to April total CDD. For spring wheat, the following variables are 

used: April/May average PDS (positive and negative), June/July PDSI (positive and negative), April to August total 

season CDD, and May to June total CDD. Further note that durum wheat type has been aggregated with spring 

wheat.

12 Note that ordinary least squares (OLS) regression can also be used to estimate the index. The disadvantage of 

OLS is that predictions are not constrained to lie on the [0,1] interval. Nevertheless, one can argue that the predicted 

loss costs here are only used as a “tool” to rank the years in terms of having “good” vs. “bad” weather (i.e., one 

could interpret negative values as indicating good weather years). The magnitudes of the predictions are not used 

‘per se’. Using the OLS model to estimate the model did not result in significantly different classifications of the 

loss years (relative to the fractional logit model). However, we recommend using the fractional logit given the 

degree of censoring in the data and the intuitive concept of limiting predicted loss costs between zero and one. 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

26 

predicts losses (i.e., in this case which combination best predicts adjusted loss cost out-ofsample).13 A minimum mean square error (MSE) criterion is used to evaluate the model with 

best out-of-sample predictions: 

 2

1

1 n

i

i

MSE e

n =

  =     ∑ , 

where i e is the difference between the actual adjusted loss cost and a predicted adjusted loss cost 

(out of sample) based on the fractional logit regression model. A lower MSE means that there is 

a smaller discrepancy between the actual and predicted adjusted loss cost ratios and one would 

prefer the combinations of weather variables that produce the lowest MSE values. Note that we 

run independent regressions for each climate division within the state (i.e., climate divisions do 

not cross state lines), but undertake the out-of-sample competition to find the best combination 

of weather variables for the entire state. This implies that each regression model is estimated 

independently but a common specification, in terms of the weather variables included in the 

regression model, is applied for all climate divisions within a state for each individual crop. In 

other words, for a crop in a state, the same weather variables are used in the loss-cost regression 

though parameters on weather variables may differ across climate divisions.

To facilitate the out-of-sample competition for each state, we limit the number of weather 

variable combinations to be considered to seven: (1) May-June PDSI positive and May-June 

PDSI negative, (2) July-August PDSI positive and July-August PDSI negative, (3) total season 

CDD and June-July total CDD, (4) May-June PDSI positive, May-June PDSI negative, JulyAugust PDSI positive, and July-August PDSI negative, (5) May-June PDSI positive, May-June 

PDSI negative, total season CDD, and June-July total CDD, (6) July-August PDSI positive, JulyAugust PDSI negative, total season CDD, and June-July total CDD, and (7) May-June PDSI 

positive, May-June PDSI negative, July-August PDSI positive, July-August PDSI negative, total 

season CDD, and June-July total CDD. Limiting the combinations to these seven choices and 

estimating the model for each crop, covering all states allows for less of a computational burden 

(i.e., runs not to exceed six hours for each crop). A hypothetical example of how an out-ofsample competition works can be seen in Table 4.1. In this example, the lowest MSE is for 

combination 4. This means that, for this state, the best combination of weather variables to use in 

creating an index is the following: May-June PDSI positive, May-June PDSI negative, JulyAugust PDSI positive, and July-August PDSI negative. This combination best predicts loss costs 

out-of-sample.

 

13 In-sample fit criteria (such as in a stepwise regression using an adjusted R-squared criterion) could also be used 

to determine the optimal combination of weather variables. However, there are a number of criticisms to this 

approach (i.e., bias in the tests to iteratively choose the best variables from the sample, as well as over fitting) that 

makes out-of-sample competition more attractive in this case (See, for example, Rencher and Pun 1980 and Copas 

1983). 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

27 

Once the optimal combination of weather variables is chosen for a particular crop and state, this 

combination of weather variables is used to produce a weather index for all of the climate 

divisions within the state producing the crop. Essentially, the predicted values of the “best” 

regression model specification are used as the weather index for each year of weather data. Using 

predicted values (i.e., predicted loss costs in this case), makes it possible to “backcast” a weather 

index for each year in which weather data are available (e.g., from 1895 onwards) even when 

there are no available loss experience data for the pre-crop insurance years (See Table 4.2). The 

relative probability of an extreme weather event (or an extreme loss event) can therefore be 

assessed over a 116 year time span (1895-2010) based on the predicted values. For example, the 

weather index for 1988 can be compared to other years from 1895 onward to determine the 

relative probability of this weather event occurring in the larger sample.

A concern with using the predicted values is that there may be cases when even the “best” 

combination of weather variables does not produce a statistically significant model that explains 

losses over time. For example, in some climate divisions, the Pearson chi-square test of overall 

model fit for the preferred model specification is not statistically significant and the correlation 

of the predicted values with the actual loss costs is actually negative. This means that the weather 

variables we considered do not have enough power to explain the pattern of losses observed over 

time and that there is no significant positive correlation between the model predictions and the 

actual loss costs. We flag these cases, and the weighting methods based on the weather index 

developed are not applied (See Table 4.3). 

Example Results

In Table 4.4, we show an example of the estimation results from a fractional logit regression 

model based on data for corn in Illinois (climate division 5) and soybeans in Indiana (climate 

division 1). In these examples, the independent variables used are the “best” weather variables 

chosen based on the out-of-sample forecasting competition. For example, based on the out-ofsample competition results for corn (See Table 4.5) the “best” weather variables to explain losses 

in Illinois are the CDD variables (total_cdd and jaj_cdd), which are used in the fractional logit 

regression in Table 4 (top panel). 

Once the out-of-sample competitions and fractional logit regression estimations are undertaken, 

we flag climate divisions where the chosen models do not produce a statistically significant 

model fit. In Table 4.6, we show examples for Indiana, Iowa, and Kansas where we flagged 

counties that have insignificant fractional logit regression models (in particular see the Iowa (19) 

climate divisions where Flag=1). Note that we also flag those climate divisions with less than 10 

years of loss cost data (See State Proxy flag in Table 4.7). In these cases, we aggregate to the 

state level and use the fractional regression estimates at the state level to get the predicted values 

for these “thin” data climate divisions. In rare cases where there is no climate division in a state 

with at least 10 observations, we do not apply the models and instead recommend that some form 

of subjective rating be used to establish rates.
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

28 

An example of predicted loss costs for corn in Iowa (climate division 5) is presented in Table 

4.8. The “backcasted” loss costs from 1975 to 1979 are presented in order to show that the 

predicted loss costs can be calculated for years in which there are no actual loss data. This 

facilitates the classification of years based on the weather index (predicted loss cost) for the 116 

years for which the weather variables are available. 

Loss Year Classification and Weight Assignment

Using the predicted loss cost values from the regression model, each year needs to be classified 

and assigned a weight that represents its likelihood as indicated by the longer weather series. As 

mentioned in section 3 above, one approach is to develop variable width bins (or groupings) with 

equal probabilities or weights. This approach is done by first determining the number of bins or 

percentiles and assigning the predicted loss costs to the appropriate bin or percentile cut-off. For 

example, assuming that we are interested in 10 bins we would like to find the predicted loss costs 

in the long history of weather data that correspond to the 10th, 20th, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th, 70th, 80th, 

90th percentile, in addition to the minimum and maximum values. In this case, we have variable 

width bins, since the ranges of the loss cost values used to delineate the bins are not equal across 

bins, but the probability of falling into each bin is always equal to 10% (See Figure 3.2 in 

previous section). If the predicted values are normally distributed, the tails (at both ends of the 

distribution) tend to have wider bin ranges since only a few observations fall in these areas, but 

the middle bins tend to have smaller widths because a lot of observations fall in these middle 

bins. 

Once the variable width bins are delineated, the predicted loss cost value for each year (from 

1895 onward) can be classified and assigned to the bin in which it falls. Using the above 

example, if the bin width for the 10th bin (from the 90th percentile to the maximum) is, say, from 

0.09 to 0.15 and the year 1988 predicted loss cost is 0.13 (i.e. one of the high loss years), then 

year 1988 is in the 10th bin. Each year is similarly classified using predictions from the fractional 

logit regression models. Since the probability of each bin is equal in this approach, there is no 

need to assign a specific differential weight to each bin.

One issue that needs to be addressed is the number of bins to assume and the possible existence 

of empty bins during the years with loss cost data (from 1980 till 2009). As discussed in further 

detail below, once the years from 1895 onward are classified based on the weather index, the 

RMA’s actual adjusted loss cost data from 1980 till 2009 are utilized to calculate the average 

loss cost for a county. Hence, it is possible that years from 1980 to 2009 do not contain a 

dispersion of data such that each bin has one or more loss costs (i.e., not all bins are represented 

in the 1980-2009 period). For example, it may be that no year in the 1980 to 2009 period is 

classified as falling into bin 9. This will have adverse implications for the calculation of the 

average loss costs if not all bins are represented in the 1980-2009 period (i.e., not all bin 

probabilities are represented). In particular, a range of observed weather history is not being 

captured in the weighting of loss costs. Therefore, to address the issue of empty bins and, at the 

same time, determine the appropriate number of bins, the approach we pursue is to first look at 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

29 

15 bins and then move down one bin at a time (i.e., from 15 till 2 bins) to establish the largest 

number of bins for which there are no cases of empty bins in the years with loss data (1980-

2009). This is done for each climate division, and so the number of bins may vary for each 

climate division within a state.

The variable bin width with equal probability approach is a fairly straightforward method 

compared to the approach of using kernel densities or parametric distributions. This “simplicity” 

facilitates the practical implementation of this procedure for multiple crops and for nationwide 

coverage. Moreover, we believe this variable bin width approach may be better than a standard 

histogram approach (that has equal bin widths and variable probabilities for each bin) because 

this mitigates the “empty bin” issue described above. That is, the likelihood of having empty bins 

for the years with loss data (1980-2009) is smaller under this approach as compared to a 

histogram approach with equal bin widths and variable probabilities. The number of bins in the 

variable bin width with an equal probability approach tends to be greater than if we used the 

histogram approach. 

An example of the bin classification results for soybeans in Mississippi (climate division 1) is 

presented in Table 4.7. In this example, the number of bins is 10 and this number assures that 

there are no “empty bins” from 1980-2009. All bin classifications are represented in the 1980-

2009 data (i.e., see Bin Classification column in Table 4.7). We also show in this table that the 

model insignificance flag and state proxy flag are both equal to zero, which means that the model 

fit results for this climate division is significant and the number of observations used in the 

estimation is at least 10. 

Loss Cost Averaging Procedure 

After each year is classified into a particular bin at the climate division level (for all 116 years), 

the classified data for each year and the insignificance flags (based on regression model) are then 

merged with the county level loss data. Since the regressions and year classifications based on 

the weather indexes are done at the climate division level, all counties within a particular climate 

division will have the same year classification and insignificance flags. 

The average loss costs are next calculated using the 1980-2009 data where there are available 

actual adjusted loss cost values in the RMA Statplan data. We first calculate the aggregate loss 

cost for each county, which is the current procedure used for computing the county base rate. 

Then we do a “weather weighting” average of loss costs for each county. This weather weighting 

is done by first taking the average loss cost within each of the defined bins and then taking the 

“average of the average loss costs” across the bins. For example, if there are 9 bins within a 

county, we first calculate a simple average of the loss costs within each of these 9 bins (i.e., one 

average loss cost for each bin that results in 9 “average” observations). Then, we take the 

average of the 9 average loss costs for the 9 bins (i.e., “average of the average loss costs”). Since 

the bins are constructed to have equal probabilities, there is no need for taking a “weighted 

average of the average loss costs”. However, given the approach described above, the recency 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

30 

weighting (discussed in more detail below) can be applied when taking the average loss cost 

within a bin. That is, more recent years of data can be given more weight relative to older years 

within each bin. 

To allow for consistency with the current catastrophic loading procedure, we also calculate the 

unweighted and weather weighted average loss costs where the adjusted loss cost data are 

censored at the 80th percentile. A similar calculation is done where the censoring is done at the 

90th percentile (since there was a recent recommendation to increase the censoring for 

catastrophic loading to this level).

Example and National Summary Results

An example case where county level loss costs are merged with the bin classification data can be 

seen in Table 4.3 for corn in Dewitt County, IL. The unweighted and weather weighted average 

loss costs at the county level can be calculated using the data presented in Table 4.3. The bin 

classification column allows us to conduct the weather weighting procedure described above. If 

the insignificance flag for model fit is equal to one in any county, we do not recommend using 

weather weighting for the county (i.e., we do not report a weather weighted average in this case). 

Examples of unweighted and weather weighted average loss costs for several counties in Iowa 

are presented in Table 4.8. Note that we calculate six loss costs averages (i.e. six weighting 

types) per county where: Weighting type = 1 if the average loss cost is calculated with no 

weather weighting; Weighting type =2 if the average loss cost is calculated with weather 

weighting; Weighting type = 3 if the average loss cost is calculated with censoring at the 80th

percentile and no weather weighting; Weighting type = 4 if the average loss cost is calculated 

with censoring at the 80th percentile and with weather weighting; Weighting type = 5 if the 

average loss cost is calculated with censoring at the 90th percentile and no weather weighting; 

Weighting type = 6 if the average loss cost is calculated with censoring at the 90th percentile and 

with weather weighting. In the example in Table 4.8, it can be seen that the weather weighted 

average loss cost tends to be smaller than the unweighted average loss cost. However, this is not 

a pattern observed in every county-crop combination. There are cases where the weather 

weighted average loss costs are higher than the unweighted average loss costs.

Table 4.9 presents the national average of the calculated unweighted and weighted loss costs for 

all crops we examined. This is the liability weighted average across counties (i.e., the liability 

weighted average (not simple average) of the average county level loss costs based on the 2009 

liability of each county). For apples, barley, cotton, potatoes, rice, and spring/winter wheat, the 

weather weighted average loss costs (at the national level) tend to be smaller than the 

unweighted loss costs. However, for corn, cotton, sorghum, and soybeans the weather weighted 

average loss costs (at the national level) tend to be larger. A map showing the pattern of the 

difference between unweighted and weighted average loss costs for corn is presented in Figure 

4.5. Around 51% of the counties have weather weighted average loss costs lower than the 

unweighted loss costs. 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

31 

Table 4.1. Example of a hypothetical out-of-sample competition for choosing the best weather 

variables to create a weather index for a state.

Combination 

No.

Weather Variable Combinations Mean squared 

error

1 ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p 0.91210

2 ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p total_cdd jaj_cdd 0.96825

3 mj_pdsi_n mj_pdsi_p 1.14213

4 mj_pdsi_n mj_pdsi_p ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p 0.86039

5 mj_pdsi_n mj_pdsi_p ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p total_cdd jaj_cdd 0.98366

6 mj_pdsi_n mj_pdsi_p total_cdd jaj_cdd 1.01876

7 total_cdd jaj_cdd 0.98623

Note: In the example above, Combination No. 4 is the best combination of weather variables based on 

Mean Squared Error criteria. These will be the variables used in the fractional logit regression to create 

the weather index for a particular state and crop.
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

32 

Table 4.2. Predicted loss cost values, net acres and actual adjusted loss costs for corn in Iowa 

(State=19), climate division 5 (1975-2009). 

State

Climate 

Division Year Net Acres Actual Adjusted loss costs Predicted loss costs

19 5 1975 0.013088

19 5 1976 0.0066332

19 5 1977 0.01381172

19 5 1978 0.0155085

19 5 1979 0.00979918

19 5 1980 386569.9 0.00850007 0.01860698

19 5 1981 682904.5 0.00165572 0.0066969

19 5 1982 399409.3 0.00290903 0.00939713

19 5 1983 190959.8 0.03955581 0.02977137

19 5 1984 446252.2 0.00654651 0.00991062

19 5 1985 502489.2 0.00422874 0.00852455

19 5 1986 542506.4 0.00542233 0.0075103

19 5 1987 510334.5 0.00063739 0.01377865

19 5 1988 599368.5 0.1357396 0.05201126

19 5 1989 1392289.1 0.01159806 0.00765586

19 5 1990 1166061.1 0.00804332 0.0129854

19 5 1991 852311.4 0.00912895 0.01383259

19 5 1992 897023.9 0.00145545 0.00394455

19 5 1993 818194.7 0.1242836 0.00734594

19 5 1994 981496.4 0.00096833 0.00734679

19 5 1995 1035910.2 0.0045309 0.0170454

19 5 1996 599679.6 0.00172944 0.005732

19 5 1997 1033995.6 0.0015911 0.00671987

19 5 1998 1074943.8 0.0094961 0.04710033

19 5 1999 1150101.9 0.00057391 0.00677308

19 5 2000 1243181.5 0.00022049 0.01780193

19 5 2001 1237287.7 0.00437922 0.0106978

19 5 2002 1311398.1 0.00041306 0.00989905

19 5 2003 1334522.2 0.00168785 0.01217966

19 5 2004 1374407.5 0.00262745 0.00778709

19 5 2005 1332961.6 0.00067134 0.01534896

19 5 2006 1284211.9 0.00101743 0.01114424

19 5 2007 1469130.3 0.00063091 0.02610541

19 5 2008 1440665.6 0.0116602 0.00627608

19 5 2009 1567807.9 0.01434467 0.00631721

Note: The predicted loss costs are available from 1895-2010. In the interest of space, we only present data from 

1975-2009. However, this demonstrates that “backcasted” predicted values can be calculated in years without the 

actual loss cost data.
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

33 

Table 4.3. Example county-level data used for calculating weather weighted average loss costs 

for De Witt county (County=39), IL (State=17): corn. 

State County

Climate 

Division Year

Actual Adjusted 

loss costs

Bin 

Classification No. of Bins

Flag =1 if 

insignificant

17 39 4 1980 0.1237103 10 11 0

17 39 4 1981 0.0083081 3 11 0

17 39 4 1982 0.0040853 2 11 0

17 39 4 1983 0.1285333 11 11 0

17 39 4 1984 0.0081736 5 11 0

17 39 4 1985 0 2 11 0

17 39 4 1986 0 5 11 0

17 39 4 1987 0 9 11 0

17 39 4 1988 0.1321881 10 11 0

17 39 4 1989 0.0007658 2 11 0

17 39 4 1990 0.0031037 3 11 0

17 39 4 1991 0.0008012 10 11 0

17 39 4 1992 0.0006445 1 11 0

17 39 4 1993 0.0004054 3 11 0

17 39 4 1994 0 3 11 0

17 39 4 1995 0.0185295 8 11 0

17 39 4 1996 0 2 11 0

17 39 4 1997 4.105E-05 2 11 0

17 39 4 1998 0.0009253 8 11 0

17 39 4 1999 0.0004244 6 11 0

17 39 4 2000 0 4 11 0

17 39 4 2001 0.0007537 4 11 0

17 39 4 2002 0.0125182 9 11 0

17 39 4 2003 9.802E-05 3 11 0

17 39 4 2004 0.0011999 1 11 0

17 39 4 2005 0.0031927 10 11 0

17 39 4 2006 0.0006764 7 11 0

17 39 4 2007 0.0020617 9 11 0

17 39 4 2008 0.0008186 3 11 0

17 39 4 2009 0.0026792 1 11 0
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

34 

Table 4.4. Example of fractional logit regression results using selected “best” weather variables 

for the state: corn in climate division 5, Illinois (17) and soybeans in climate division 1, Indiana 

(18).

Corn: Climate Division 5, Illinois 

 Analysis of Maximum Likelihood Parameter Estimates 

 

 Standard Wald 95% Wald 

Parameter DF Estimate Error Confidence Limits Chi-Square Pr > ChiSq 

 

Intercept 1 -17.6357 15.7925 -48.5884 13.3171 1.25 0.2641 

total_cdd 1 0.0101 0.0181 -0.0254 0.0456 0.31 0.5774 

jaj_cdd 1 0.0055 0.0333 -0.0598 0.0707 0.03 0.8692 

Criteria For Assessing Goodness Of Fit 

Criterion DF Value Value/DF 

 

Deviance 27 0.5804 0.0215 

Scaled Deviance 27 0.5804 0.0215 

Pearson Chi-Square 27 0.5873 0.0218 

Scaled Pearson X2 27 0.5873 0.0218 

Log Likelihood -2.7963 

Number of Observations Used 30 

Soybeans: Climate Division 1, Indiana 

 

 Standard Wald 95% Wald 

Parameter DF Estimate Error Confidence Limits Chi-Square Pr > ChiSq 

 

Intercept 1 -4.9453 3.2812 -11.3764 1.4857 2.27 0.1318 

ja_pdsi_n 1 -0.8383 1.4242 -3.6296 1.9531 0.35 0.5561 

ja_pdsi_p 1 0.2246 1.3966 -2.5127 2.9619 0.03 0.8722 

Criteria For Assessing Goodness Of Fit 

Criterion DF Value Value/DF 

Deviance 27 0.4373 0.0162 

Scaled Deviance 27 0.4373 0.0162 

Pearson Chi-Square 27 0.5476 0.0203 

Scaled Pearson X2 27 0.5476 0.0203 

Log Likelihood -2.5996 

Number of Observations Used 30 

Note: All fractional logit results for all “state-climate division-crop” combinations are available 

from the authors upon request. 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

35 

Table 4.5. Weather variables chosen for each state to calculate the weather index based on the 

out-of-sample competition: corn example. 

state Weather Variable Combinations

Mean squared

error

1 ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p 5.1859665

4 ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p 0.1061328

5 total_cdd jaj_cdd 9.7063898

6 total_cdd jaj_cdd 1.8864413

8 total_cdd jaj_cdd 0.5599298

9 ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p 1.8823582

10 ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p total_cdd jaj_cdd 0.3794463

12 total_cdd jaj_cdd 0.9065109

13 total_cdd jaj_cdd 7.304132

16 total_cdd jaj_cdd 1.4533495

17 total_cdd jaj_cdd 0.9245507

18 total_cdd jaj_cdd 0.9172543

19 total_cdd jaj_cdd 1.3256818

20 mj_pdsi_n mj_pdsi_p ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p 3.0718882

21 ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p 1.1527433

22 mj_pdsi_n mj_pdsi_p 7.3063892

23 ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p 2.1138152

24 ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p 3.0374947

25 total_cdd jaj_cdd 0.6621126

26 total_cdd jaj_cdd 6.7038752

27 total_cdd jaj_cdd 3.8878839

28 total_cdd jaj_cdd 10.240115

29 mj_pdsi_n mj_pdsi_p ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p 2.141111

30 mj_pdsi_n mj_pdsi_p total_cdd jaj_cdd 2.4403504

31 ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p 0.4422113

33 ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p 0.1377493

34 ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p 1.5424982

35 total_cdd jaj_cdd 4.1921117

36 total_cdd jaj_cdd 4.940591

37 mj_pdsi_n mj_pdsi_p ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p total_cdd jaj_cdd 3.6997904

38 mj_pdsi_n mj_pdsi_p ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p total_cdd jaj_cdd 9.0963143

39 mj_pdsi_n mj_pdsi_p ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p 0.9783726

40 total_cdd jaj_cdd 8.4841414

41 ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p 0.461521
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

36 

42 ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p 4.7989437

44 mj_pdsi_n mj_pdsi_p ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p 0.3507331

45 total_cdd jaj_cdd 5.3265052

46 mj_pdsi_n mj_pdsi_p 6.1671228

47 mj_pdsi_n mj_pdsi_p ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p 0.9630748

48 mj_pdsi_n mj_pdsi_p 6.7365194

49 ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p 0.4809822

50 ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p 0.9504381

51 mj_pdsi_n mj_pdsi_p ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p 1.8095605

53 ja_pdsi_n ja_pdsi_p 0.1583591

54 total_cdd jaj_cdd 6.3146905

55 total_cdd jaj_cdd 3.8595231

56 mj_pdsi_n mj_pdsi_p 2.7716175

Note: Combinations of weather variables used for other crops can be seen in Appendix A.
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

37 

Table 4.6. Climate divisions flagged as statistically insignificant in Indiana (State=18), Iowa 

(State=19), and Kansas (State=20) for corn.

State Climate division Correlation P value

Flag =1 if 

insignificant

18 1 0.697348 1.849E-05 0 

18 2 0.8206735 2.804E-08 0 

18 3 0.703589 1.442E-05 0 

18 4 0.6154699 0.0002946 0 

18 5 0.6592917 7.421E-05 0 

18 6 0.7147064 9.123E-06 0 

18 7 0.4857597 0.0065023 0 

18 8 0.5676294 0.0010696 0 

18 9 0.4039534 0.0268396 0 

19 1 0.1176057 0.5359587 1 

19 2 0.087774 0.6446394 1 

19 3 0.4513596 0.0122938 0 

19 4 0.2842945 0.1278601 1 

19 5 0.4576954 0.0109846 0 

19 6 0.8277632 1.67E-08 0 

19 7 0.2724787 0.1451881 1 

19 8 0.5400418 0.0020673 0 

19 9 0.7837669 3.015E-07 0 

20 1 0.8007809 1.072E-07 0 

20 2 0.8111501 5.434E-08 0 

20 3 0.7218704 6.715E-06 0 

20 4 0.732416 4.203E-06 0 

20 5 0.8057017 1.341E-07 0 

20 6 0.8578067 1.388E-09 0 

20 7 0.6950983 2.019E-05 0 

20 8 0.4734226 0.0082312 0 

20 9 0.9378357 2.15E-14 0 

Note: If the Flag (last column) is equal to one then the fractional logit regression model is 

deemed to be insignificant (i.e. the correlation between actual and predicted loss costs has a pvalue > 0.1) or the correlation is negative. 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

38 

Table 4.7. Bin classification for soybeans in Mississippi (State=28) climate division 1 (1980-

2009). 

State

Climate 

Division Year

State proxy

flag=1 if used 

state predicted 

values Bin Classification

No of Bins for 

the Climate 

Division

Flag =1 if 

insignificant

28 1 1980 0 4 10 0

28 1 1981 0 8 10 0 

28 1 1982 0 2 10 0 

28 1 1983 0 5 10 0 

28 1 1984 0 4 10 0

28 1 1985 0 8 10 0 

28 1 1986 0 9 10 0 

28 1 1987 0 1 10 0 

28 1 1988 0 10 10 0

28 1 1989 0 8 10 0 

28 1 1990 0 4 10 0 

28 1 1991 0 6 10 0 

28 1 1992 0 5 10 0

28 1 1993 0 2 10 0 

28 1 1994 0 4 10 0 

28 1 1995 0 1 10 0 

28 1 1996 0 1 10 0

28 1 1997 0 5 10 0 

28 1 1998 0 10 10 0 

28 1 1999 0 5 10 0 

28 1 2000 0 8 10 0

28 1 2001 0 5 10 0 

28 1 2002 0 4 10 0 

28 1 2003 0 5 10 0 

28 1 2004 0 3 10 0

28 1 2005 0 7 10 0 

28 1 2006 0 9 10 0 

28 1 2007 0 8 10 0 

28 1 2008 0 6 10 0

28 1 2009 0 4 10 0 

28 1 2010 0 10 10 0 

Note: The state proxy flag is equal to 1 if there are not enough observations (n>10) in the climate divisions to run a credible fractional regression 

model and calculate a predicted loss cost (weather index).
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

39 

Table 4.8. Example of unweighted and weather weighted loss costs at the county-level for Boone 

County (county=15), Dallas County (county=49), and Grundy County (county=75), IA 

(State=19).

State

Climate 

Division County

County Average loss 

costs

Flag =1 if 

insignificant

Weighting 

Type

19 5 15 0.0096378 0 1

19 5 15 0.0076921 0 2

19 5 15 0.0028386 0 3

19 5 15 0.0027737 0 4

19 5 15 0.0035587 0 5

19 5 15 0.0033862 0 6

19 5 49 0.0100697 0 1

19 5 49 0.0097928 0 2

19 5 49 0.0058953 0 3

19 5 49 0.0058029 0 4

19 5 49 0.007514 0 5

19 5 49 0.0075715 0 6

19 5 75 0.0091694 0 1

19 5 75 0.0051299 0 2

19 5 75 0.001323 0 3

19 5 75 0.0010593 0 4

19 5 75 0.0044935 0 5

19 5 75 0.0032308 0 6

Note: Weighting type = 1 if the average loss cost is calculated with no weather weighting and no 

censoring; Weighting type =2 if the average loss cost is calculated with weather weighting but no 

censoring; Weighting type = 3 if the average loss cost is calculated with censoring at the 80th

percentile and no weather weighting; Weighting type = 4 if the average loss cost is calculated 

with censoring at the 80th percentile and with weather weighting; Weighting type = 5 if the 

average loss cost is calculated with censoring at the 90th percentile and no weather weighting; 

Weighting type = 6 if the average loss cost is calculated with censoring at the 90th percentile and 

with weather weighting.
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

40 

Table 4.9. Liability weighted national average (across counties) of unweighted and weather 

weighted average loss costs for apples, barley, corn, cotton, potatoes, rice, sorghum, soybeans, 

spring wheat and winter wheat. 

Crop

No. of 

Counties

Unweighted 

loss costs 

(no 

censoring)

Weather 

weighted 

loss costs 

(no 

censoring)

Unweighted 

loss costs 

(censoring 

at 80th)

Weather 

weighted 

loss costs 

(censoring 

at 80th)

Unweighted 

loss costs 

(censoring 

at 90th)

Weather 

weighted 

loss costs 

(censoring 

at 90th)

apples 140 0.1839529 0.1756118 0.1509251 0.1458255 0.1722479 0.1649113

barley 646 0.1033683 0.0952631 0.071994 0.0677116 0.088203 0.0820236

corn 1930 0.0505333 0.0525652 0.028726 0.0293841 0.0394102 0.0409063

cotton 437 0.143511 0.1459077 0.1103868 0.1110684 0.1292813 0.1305584

potatoes 128 0.083174 0.0807186 0.0659818 0.0646853 0.0752233 0.0730846

rice 84 0.0263574 0.0251909 0.015527 0.0148564 0.0203618 0.0193536

sorghum 750 0.1208383 0.1317581 0.0887164 0.09226 0.1079448 0.1140653

soybeans 1523 0.0542112 0.0538458 0.0384229 0.0379807 0.0467105 0.0460899

spring wheat 244 0.1218715 0.1171909 0.0887732 0.0872793 0.1094074 0.1063092

winter wheat 951 0.0982152 0.0852073 0.0719574 0.065563 0.0851164 0.0759965

Note: These are the national average loss costs across all counties (i.e., liability weighted 

average) where the insignificance flags and state proxy flags are not equal to one. All weighted 

and unweighted loss costs for each county can be seen in the Appendix B. 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

41 

Figure 4.1a. Map of U.S. climate divisions.

(Established by the National Climate Data Center of NOAA)
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

42 

Figure 4.1b. County assignment to climate divisions delineated within states. 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

43 

Figure 4.2. No. of years with zero loss costs in the corn climate division level data set (508 

compliant data is in Appendix D-3).
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

44 

Figure 4.3. No. of years with zero loss costs in the barley climate division level data set (508 

compliant data is in Appendix D-4).
Methodology Analysis for Weighting Historical Experience – 

Technical Report

45 

Figure 4.4. No. of years with loss cost equal to one in the apple climate division level data 

set (508 compliant data is in Appendix D-5).
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 46

Figure 4.5. Map of the difference between the unweighted average loss cost and the weather 

weighted loss costs for corn (508 compliant data is in Appendix D-6).

Note: negative difference (weather weighted < unweighted) is in blue (0) and positive difference 

(weather weighted > unweighted) is in red (1).
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 47

b. Analysis of Alternative Loss Cost Adjustments 

Based on the discussion of non-stationarity in the loss cost in section three, we conducted several 

empirical analyses to quantify these effects where possible. Because we are attempting to

measure effects such as technological change or program changes that are applied broadly, our 

analysis is conducted by aggregating crop/climate division data to the crop/state level. Also note 

that because of the issues discussed in our analysis of weather effects we include the weather 

variables aggregated to the state level. This allows us to evaluate program non-stationarity while 

controlling for unique weather events that may drive the observed loss cost in the 1980-2010 

data. Because of the increased aggregation, censoring of the dependant variable was examined 

and found to no longer be an issue, so for ease of interpretation ordinary least squares regression 

was used. Three alternative models were estimated:

model 1 adj_yr_lcr = f(pre-1995, weather variables)

 

model 2 adj_yr_lcr = f(pre-1995, post-1994 trend, weather variables) 

 model 3 adj_yr_lcr = f(net acres insured, weather variables)

The Pre-1995 variable takes a value of 1 if crop year is less than 1995. This variable is posited 

to capture differences in expected loss costs before and after the fundamental program changes 

that took place in 1995. The trend variable takes a value of zero if crop year is less than 1995 

and is the difference between crop year and 1994 (crop year – 1994) from 1995 on. This variable 

is estimated with the pre-1995 variable to see if there are discernable trends in the loss cost 

experience since the 1995 program changes. Finally, net acres insured is the sum of net acres 

insured for the crop/state. Net acres reflect participation in insurance programs and crop acres. 

Further, all else equal, more acres provide greater credibility underlying the program. No 

state/crop result is reported if there were not at least 15 years of loss cost data for the state. We 

also required at least 20,000 acres insured in the year except for apples where the limit was 

lowered to 5000 acres. 

In the following tables we report results by crop. The parameter estimates for each state are 

reported. When the parameter is statistically significant at the ten percent level it is noted. We 

also shade in green any value that indicates more recent loss costs are lower than older 

experience. This is indicated by 1) a positive pre-1995 loss cost effect in model 1; 2) a positive 

pre-1995 loss cost effect in model 2 and/or the post-1994 loss cost trend; 3) a negative effect for 

net acres in model 3 when net acres insured are trending up through time. Conversely, if these 

parameters take the opposite signs and are statistically significant we highlight in red indicating 

higher loss cost patterns in recent years. In some instances the statistical significance for the pre1995 effect is different between model 1 and model 2. In general we regard the effect to be 

significant if either model suggests so. 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 48

Table 4.10 reports the results for apples: a crop with a single state containing sufficient data to 

analyze and even then data are missing for the pre-1995 period. The lone significant loss cost 

adjustment is the net acre variable, which is negative and significant suggesting years with more 

insured acres have a lower loss cost. Because there has been an upward trend in net insured 

apple acres, this suggests more recent experience has been better in Washington apples. 

Table 4.11 shows the loss cost adjustment results for barley. The results for the pre-1995 

variables are decidedly mixed. In two states (CO, ID) more recent experience appears more 

actuarially sound. However, in three other states (MN, OR, SD) this result is contradicted. In no 

barley states is there a statistically significant trend effect, but in three states the net acres 

variable is significant (CO, ID, OR). However, the Colorado and Idaho results appear to conflict 

with the pre-1995 results. 

The analysis for corn is reported in table 4.12. Note first that when results are statistically 

significant, they suggest more recent experience is better. Seven states are found to have a 

significantly higher loss cost prior to 1995. This includes major producing states of Illinois, 

Indiana, and Missouri. Downward trends in post-1995 lost costs are observed in Iowa, North 

Dakota, and Tennessee. The net acres variable is negative in every state where it is significant. 

In total, 13 states fall in this group which includes nearly every Corn Belt state. 

Table 4.13 reports the results for grain sorghum. The pre-1995 variable is positive and 

significant in three states and negative and significant in Oklahoma. The post-1995 loss cost 

trend is not significant in any state. The net acres model contradicts the pre-1995 dummy model 

in Illinois. Further, in the major producing states of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas the net acre 

model suggests loss costs are increasing as net acres increase.

The results for potatoes in two states are shown in Table 4.14. Only one effect is significant. 

The pre-1995 effect in Idaho suggests higher loss costs prior to 1995. 

Rice results are shown in Table 4.15. Only four states had sufficient data for analysis, but 

statistical significance is found in all four. The pre-1995 effect is significant in Arkansas, 

Louisiana, and Mississippi, but not Texas. The post-1994 trend is not significant in any state. 

However, the net acres model suggests that loss costs improve with increased insured acres in 

Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. 

Soybean results are reported in Table 4.16. The pre-1995 effect is positive and significant in 

several states suggesting more recent experience is better. Most of the states with significant 

effects are Southern states such as Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. 

However, Illinois and Nebraska also have the same sign. Virginia is the lone exception with a 

negative pre-1995 effect. The post-1995 trend model is only significant in two states – North 

Carolina and Virginia. In both cases it suggests recent loss costs are lower. When significant, 

the net acres insured model always suggests that loss costs improve with increased insured acres 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 49

in the state. It is significant in seven regionally diverse states, but notable Illinois and Missouri 

from the Corn Belt.

Table 4.17 reports the results for spring wheat. Idaho and Montana are found to have a positive 

pre-1995 effect while South Dakota has an opposite sign. Only Idaho has a positive and 

significant post-1994 effect. The net acres insured effect is only significant in Montana. 

The final table in this section is table 4.18 for winter wheat. While data are available from 

several states, the results for winter wheat are mixed. The pre-1995 dummy variable is positive 

and significant in several southeastern states, but takes the opposite sign in Texas, Oklahoma, 

Oregon, and Colorado. The post-1994 effect is only significant in three states. In California and 

Kentucky, it suggests upward trends in loss costs while in Colorado the trend is negative. The 

net acres variable is positive and significant in five states and negative and significant in South 

Carolina.
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 50

State Models

Table 4.10. Estimation of alternative state-level loss cost adjustments -apples.

Apples State Model 1

Pre-1995 

Loss Cost 

Effect

Significant 

(10% level) 

Model 2

Post 1994 

Loss Cost 

Trend

Significant 

(10% 

level) 

Model 3

Net Acres 

(10,000 ac)

Significant 

(10% level) 

WA 53 N.A.

WA 53 N.A. . -0.002515 .

WA 53 . . -0.01898 *
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 51

Table 4.11. Estimation of alternative state-level loss cost adjustments -barley.

Barley State Model 1

Pre-1995 

Loss Cost 

Effect

Significant

(10% level) 

Model 2

Post 1994 

Loss Cost 

Trend

Significant

(10% level) 

Model 3

Net Acres 

(10,000 ac) 

Significant

(10% level) 

CA 6 0.0003 .

CA 6 0.08014 0.007645

CA 6 . . 0.02404

CO 8 0.13256 * .

CO 8 0.0996 -0.002845

CO 8 . . -0.00582 *

ID 16 0.04299 * .

ID 16 0.02962 -0.001751

ID 16 . . -0.00086 *

MN 27 -0.08543 * .

MN 27 -0.0708 0.002076

MN 27 . . -0.00325

MT 30 0.06871 .

MT 30 -0.00777 -0.009119

MT 30 . . -0.00052

ND 38 -0.02891 .

ND 38 -0.05598 -0.003077

ND 38 . . 0.00006

OR 41 -0.12441 * .

OR 41 -0.02063 0.01273

OR 41 . . 0.02837 *Acres 

stable

SD 46 -0.07658 .

SD 46 -0.19942 * -0.013524

SD 46 . . 0.00462

WA 53 0.00874 .

WA 53 -0.01023 -0.002346

WA 53 . . 0.00064

WY 56 0.00477 .

WY 56 -0.02075 -0.002717

WY 56 . . -0.00017
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 52

Table 4.12. Estimation of alternative state-level loss cost adjustments -corn.

Corn State Model 1

Pre-1995 

Loss Cost 

Effect

Significant 

(10% level) 

Model 2

Post 1994 

Loss Cost 

Trend

Significant 

(10% level) 

Model 3

Net Acres 

(10,000 ac)

Significant 

(10% level) 

AL 1 0.05397 .

AL 1 0.01514 -0.005237

AL 1 . . -0.01103 *

CO 8 -0.01082 .

CO 8 -0.02857 -0.00201

CO 8 . . 0.00012

DE 10 -0.03129 .

DE 10 -0.03946 -0.000921

DE 10 . . 0.00321

GA 13 -0.00341 .

GA 13 -0.07951 -0.010552

GA 13 . . -0.00606

IL 17 0.03233 * .

IL 17 0.01847 -0.001487

IL 17 . . -0.00008 *

IN 18 0.03072 . *

IN 18 0.01706 -0.001713

IN 18 . . -0.00021 *

IA 19 0.01765 .

IA 19 -0.01356 -0.003442 *

IA 19 . . -0.00005 *

KS 20 0.00013 .

KS 20 0.00014 0.000001

KS 20 . . -0.00002

KY 21 0.09438 * .

KY 21 0.09772 * 0.000401

KY 21 . . -0.00199 *

LA 22 0.06448 .

LA 22 0.03784 -0.003211

LA 22 . . -0.00091

MD 24 -0.0179 .

MD 24 -0.02377 -0.00075

MD 24 . . 0.00084

MI 26 0.04805 * .

MI 26 0.01403 -0.004335 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 53

MI 26 . . -0.00121 *

MN 27 -0.00199 .

MN 27 0.03671 0.005493

MN 27 . . 0.00002

MS 28 0.12261 . *

MS 28 0.07581 -0.005209

MS 28 . . -0.00392

MO 29 0.05629 * .

MO 29 -0.01254 -0.008116

MO 29 . . -0.00071 *

NE 31 0.00704 .

NE 31 -0.00793 -0.001761

NE 31 . . -0.00003

NC 37 -0.00556 .

NC 37 -0.00788 -0.000317

NC 37 . . -0.00024

ND 38 0.02687 .

ND 38 -0.10847 -0.013724 *

ND 38 . . -0.00062 *

OH 39 0.02491 .

OH 39 0.00948 -0.001992

OH 39 . . -0.00024 *

OK 40 -0.03678 .

OK 40 -0.04379 -0.000801

OK 40 . . 0.00519 *

PA 42 -0.01854 .

PA 42 -0.01005 0.001093

PA 42 . . 0.00068

SC 45 0.00518 .

SC 45 -0.03907 -0.006141

SC 45 . . -0.00406

SD 46 -0.00299 .

SD 46 -0.0701 -0.007388

SD 46 . . 0.00002

TN 47 0.03634 * .

TN 47 0.00366 -0.003805 *

TN 47 . . -0.00184 *

TX 48 0.08919 * .

TX 48 0.0564 -0.003803 

TX 48 . . -0.00076 * 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 54

VA 51 0.02188 .

VA 51 0.00828 -0.001749

VA 51 . . -0.0023 *

WV 54 0 .

WV 54 0 0.004302

WV 54 . . 0.08797

WI 55 0.04375 * .

WI 55 -0.00753 -0.006336

WI 55 . . -0.00048 *

WY 56 0.04215 .

WY 56 0.05978 0.002224

WY 56 . . -0.00007
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 55

Table 4.13. Estimation of alternative state-level loss cost adjustments –grain sorghum. 

Grain 

Sorghum

State Model 1 

Pre-1995 

Loss Cost 

Effect

Significant 

(10% level) 

Model 2

Post 1994 

Loss Cost 

Trend

Significant 

(10% 

level) 

Model 3

Net Acres 

(10,000 ac)

Significant 

(10% level) 

AR 5 0.07993 * . .

AR 5 0.06457 -0.001825 .

AR 5 . . -0.00851

CO 8 -0.03422 . .

CO 8 0.12454 0.017516 * .

CO 8 . . 0.00519

IL 17 0.07109 * . .

IL 17 0.10496 0.0035 .

IL 17 . . 0.02795 * Acres 

stable

KS 20 -0.03363 . .

KS 20 -0.02108 0.001516 .

KS 20 . . 0.00032 *

LA 22 0.09289 . .

LA 22 0.11792 0.003167 .

LA 22 . . 0.00399

MO 29 0.07442 * . .

MO 29 0.04461 -0.003915 .

MO 29 . . 0.00732 * Acres 

declining 

NE 31 -0.01168 . .

NE 31 -0.0239 -0.001438 .

NE 31 . . -0.0006

NM 35 -0.01621 . .

NM 35 -0.11169 -0.010528 .

NM 35 . . 0.00064

OK 40 -0.11504 * . .

OK 40 -0.12353 * -0.00102 .

OK 40 . . 0.00912 *

SD 46 -0.14014 . .

SD 46 -0.31675 -0.018606 .

SD 46 . . 0.01553

TX 48 -0.01622 . .

TX 48 -0.08615 -0.008175 .

TX 48 . . 0.00041 *
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 56

Table 4.14. Estimation of alternative state-level loss cost adjustments -potato. 

Potato State Model 1 

Pre-1995 

Loss Cost 

Effect

Significant 

(10% 

level) 

Model 2 

Post 1994 

Loss Cost 

Trend

Significant 

(10% 

level) 

Model 3

Net Acres 

(10,000 ac)

Significant 

(10% level) 

ID 16 0.02631 * .

ID 16 0.02479 -0.000183

ID 16 . . -0.00149

ND 38 0.00769 .

ND 38 0.03158 0.002529

ND 38 . . 0.01461

Table 4.15. Estimation of alternative state-level loss cost adjustments -rice.

Rice state Model 

1 

Pre1995 

Loss 

Cost 

Effect

Significan

t (10% 

level) 

Model 2

Post 1994 

Loss Cost 

Trend

Significan

t (10% 

level) 

Model 3

Net 

Acres 

(10,000 

ac)

Significan

t (10% 

level) 

AR 5 0.05267 * . .

AR 5 0.05573 * 0.000506964 .

AR 5 . . -0.00133 *

LA 22 0.07592 * . .

LA 22 0.08937 * 0.001595231 .

LA 22 . . -0.00417 *

MS 28 0.01978 * . .

MS 28 0.02262 * 0.000333516 .

MS 28 . . -0.00157

TX 48 0.01066 . .

TX 48 0.01103 0.000041966 .

TX 48 . . -0.00117 *
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 57

Table 4.16. Estimation of alternative state-level loss cost adjustments -soybeans.

Soybeans state Model 1

Pre-1995 

Loss 

Cost Effect

Significant 

(10% 

level) 

Model 2

Post 1994 

Loss Cost 

Trend

Significant 

(10% 

level) 

Model 3

Net Acres 

(10,000 ac) 

Significant 

(10% 

level) 

AL 1 0.12153 * .

AL 1 0.08483 -0.00495

AL 1 . . 0.00121

AR 5 0.11899 * .

AR 5 0.06552 -0.00724

AR 5 . . -0.00135 *

DE 10 -0.06008 .

DE 10 -0.04477 0.0016

DE 10 . . 0.00432

GA 13 0.04816 .

GA 13 -0.03076 -0.01094

GA 13 . . -0.00097

IL 17 0.03186 * .

IL 17 0.04357 * 0.001257

IL 17 . . -0.00011 *

IN 18 0.0129 .

IN 18 0.00284 -0.00126

IN 18 . . -0.0001 *

IA 19 0.00848 .

IA 19 0.00149 -0.00077

IA 19 . . -0.00001

KS 20 0.04147 .

KS 20 0.02152 -0.00241

KS 20 . . -0.00032

KY 21 0.05654 * .

KY 21 0.05204 -0.00055

KY 21 . . -0.00086

LA 22 0.17882 * .

LA 22 0.15714 * -0.0026

LA 22 . . -0.00055

MA 24 -0.00688 .

MA 24 -0.02017 -0.0017

MA 24 . . -0.00052

MI 26 0.05011 .

MI 26 0.03285 -0.00216 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 58

MI 26 . . -0.00111 *

MN 27 -0.00566 .

MN 27 0.01279 0.002618

MN 27 . . 0.00003

MS 28 0.11254 * .

MS 28 0.09199 * -0.00247

MS 28 . . -0.00127 *

MO 29 0.06373 * .

MO 29 0.07277 0.001067

MO 29 . . -0.00029 *

NE 31 0.02344 * .

NE 31 0.01064 -0.00151

NE 31 . . -0.00007 *

NC 37 0.01511 .

NC 37 -0.05389 -0.00941 *

NC 37 . . -0.00084 *

ND 38 -0.01142 .

ND 38 -0.02464 -0.0015

ND 38 . . 0.00002

OH 39 0.01033 .

OH 39 0.00355 -0.00088

OH 39 . . -0.00007

OK 40 0.0238 .

OK 40 0.02165 -0.00027

OK 40 . . 0.0008

SC 45 0.13705 * .

SC 45 -0.04658 -0.01734

SC 45 . . -0.00638 *

SD 46 0.01005 .

SD 46 -0.02739 -0.00412

SD 46 . . -0.00004

TN 47 0.03078 .

TN 47 -0.00486 -0.00438

TN 47 . . -0.00106

TX 48 0.17472 * .

TX 48 0.28287 * 0.012657

TX 48 . . -0.00376

VA 51 -0.01865 .

VA 51 -0.09645 * -0.01001 * 

VA 51 . . -0.00113 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 59

WI 55 0.00697 .

WI 55 0.02185 0.001985

WI 55 . . 0.00018
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 60

Table 4.17. Estimation of alternative state-level loss cost adjustments –spring wheat.

Spring 

wheat

State Model 1

Pre-1995 

Loss Cost 

Effect

Significant 

(10% 

level) 

Model 2 

Post 

1994 

Loss 

Cost 

Trend

Significant 

(10% 

level) 

Model 3

Net Acres 

(10,000 

ac)

Significant 

(10% 

level) 

CA 6 -0.52676 . .

CA 6 -0.57888 -0.01298 .

CA 6 . . -0.01356

ID 16 0.07706 * . .

ID 16 -0.02428 -0.02241 * .

ID 16 . . -0.0032

MT 30 0.07593 * . .

MT 30 0.04504 -0.00369 .

MT 30 . . -0.00036 *

ND 38 -0.00807 . .

ND 38 -0.04989 -0.0047 .

ND 38 . . -9.8E-06

SD 46 -0.06522 * . .

SD 46 -0.12937 * -0.00737 .

SD 46 . . 0.00026

WA 53 0.01824 . .

WA 53 -0.00158 -0.00433 .

WA 53 . . -0.00014
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 61

Table 4.18. Estimation of alternative state-level loss cost adjustments –winter wheat.

Winter 

Wheat 

State Model 1 

Pre-1995 

Loss Cost 

Effect

Significant 

(10% 

level) 

Model 2 

Post 1994 

Loss Cost 

Trend

Significant 

(10% 

level) 

Model 3

Net Acres 

(10,000 ac)

Significant 

(10% 

level) 

AR 5 0.06946 . .

AR 5 0.07271 0.00043 .

AR 5 . . -0.00349

CA 6 -0.1172 . .

CA 6 0.18789 0.0839 * .

CA 6 . . 0.02449 *

CO 8 -0.01127 . .

CO 8 -0.0767 * -0.00778 * .

CO 8 . . 0.00047 *Declining 

Net Acres

GA 13 0.03441 . .

GA 13 0.07069 * 0.00489 .

GA 13 . . 0.00103

ID 16 0.00886 . .

ID 16 0.01471 0.00078 .

ID 16 . . -0.00008

IL 17 0.07741 . .

IL 17 0.05071 -0.00331 .

IL 17 . . -0.00357

IN 18 0.05584 . .

IN 18 0.00431 -0.00962 .

IN 18 . . -0.00499

KS 20 -0.01623 . .

KS 20 -0.0109 0.00063 .

KS 20 . . 0.00004

KY 21 0.03965 . .

KY 21 0.10339 * 0.00909 * .

KY 21 . . 0.00003

LA 22 0.16253 * . .

LA 22 0.17153 0.00108 .

LA 22 . . -0.01089

MI 26 -0.0074 . .

MI 26 -0.03854 -0.00429 .

MI 26 . . -0.00102

MN 27 0.01866 . . 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 62

MN 27 0.00315 -0.00205 .

MN 27 . . -0.00013

MS 28 0.17655 * . .

MS 28 0.14653 -0.00428 .

MS 28 . . -0.01082

MO 29 0.07196 . .

MO 29 0.04356 -0.00352 .

MO 29 . . -0.00523

MT 30 -0.0611 . .

MT 30 -0.0762 -0.00407 .

MT 30 . . 0.00057

NE 31 0.01788 . .

NE 31 0.02936 0.001353 .

NE 31 . . -0.00002

NM 35 -0.0217 . .

NM 35 -0.15042 -0.0147 .

NM 35 . . -0.00505

NC 37 -0.00501 . .

NC 37 -0.00536 -4.5E-05 .

NC 37 . . 0.00031

OH 39 0.01238 . .

OH 39 -0.01313 -0.00354 .

OH 39 . . -0.00111

OK 40 -0.07085 * . .

OK 40 -0.05364 0.002009 .

OK 40 . . 0.00026 *

OR 41 -0.06108 * . .

OR 41 -0.08991 * -0.00384 .

OR 41 . . 0.00209 *

SC 45 0.05753 . .

SC 45 -0.03191 -0.01049 .

SC 45 . . -0.01346 *

SD 46 -0.01197 . .

SD 46 -0.03212 -0.00484 .

SD 46 . . -0.00038

TX 48 -0.11145 * . .

TX 48 -0.03244 0.009376 .

TX 48 . . 0.0004 *

UT 49 0.03639 . . 

UT 49 0.03853 0.000183 . 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 63

UT 49 . . 0.00341

WA 53 -0.00358 . .

WA 53 0.00343 0.000891 .

WA 53 . . -0.00004

WY 56 -0.02224 . .

WY 56 -0.03068 -0.00099 .

WY 56 . . 0.00415

Regional and National Models

We also replicated our non-stationarity analysis at regional and national levels. The regions 

were defined to reflect similar production areas as shown in Table 4.19. Weather effects were 

maintained. By combining states, the non-stationarity effects are estimated with more data. This 

approach provides some smoothing of any effects, but also increases the chance that a general 

adjustment may not be appropriate in some specific location. 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 64

Table 4.19. Region definitions. 

Region States

Southeast Region 1, 12, 13, 37, 45

Southern Plains 20, 31, 8, 40, 48

West 16, 30, 41, 53, 56, 4, 6, 32, 35, 49

East 9, 10, 23, 24 , 25, 33, 34, 36, 42, 44, 50, 51, 54

Midwest 17, 18, 19, 26, 27 29, 38, 39, 46, 55, 21 

Delta 5, 28, 47, 22

Southwest 4, 6, 32, 35, 49

Pacific Northwest 2, 16, 41, 53

Northern Plains 30, 38, 46

Great Plains 8, 20, 31, 46, 56

Table 4.20 reports the estimates for spring and winter wheat regions. No effects are significant 

for spring wheat. However, the results are mixed for winter wheat. In the Delta, Southeast and 

Midwest there is evidence of significant differences in loss costs over time. Conversely, in the 

various groupings of the Plains states and the Pacific Northwest there is evidence in at least one 

of the three model specifications that loss experience is worse in recent years. 

Corn and soybean results are reported in table 4.21. In this table any effects that are significant 

suggest that loss experience is better in more recent years. For corn only the east and west 

regions show no significance. The clearest result is for the Midwest where all three models 

suggest improving loss costs over time. For soybeans the pre-1995 effect is significant in the 

Midwest but has the largest magnitude in the Delta and Southeast. 

Table 4.22 reports the regional results for sorghum and cotton. In sorghum the net acres model 

is never significant, but the pre-1995 effect is significant in the Delta, Midwest, and southeast. 

Southeast also demonstrates a downward post 1995 trend. Conversely, in the West experience 

prior to 1995 was better than more recent experience. In cotton, Delta loss cost experience was 

higher prior to 1995. However, results across models are inconsistent for the Southeast, 

Southwest, and West regions. 

The final regional model is reported in Table 4.23. It reports the results for barley. Only the 

result for the Midwest region is statistically significant and it suggests that experience prior to 

1995 had a lower expected loss cost ratio. 

The final table in this set is for national level models (Table 4.24). All crops are reported in a 

single table. In many instances the national level results mimic the regional results for the major 

production regions. However, this does not always hold. First, none of the non-stationarity 

estimates are significant for spring wheat or for barley – similar to most of the regional results. 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 65

There is evidence of higher national-aggregate loss costs prior to 1995 for winter wheat, corn, 

rice and soybeans. When we examine post-1994 loss cost trends at the national level, evidence is 

found for declining loss costs in corn, soybeans, cotton and sorghum. No evidence is found of 

increasing trends in loss cost. Our third model uses net acres insured as a variable to explain 

non-stationarity of loss costs. This model suggests improving loss costs for corn, soybeans, and 

cotton. 

Ultimately, these results are quite similar to the limited sample we examined in our previous rate 

review report. Statistically significant trends in loss cost while controlling for random weather 

poses a serious issue for rating. We have suggested several alternative ways to quantify these 

effects and analyzed them at state, regional, and national levels of aggregation. The other 

alternative is to shorten the time series used for base rates so that the effects we observe are 

excluded or dampened. One might also combine approaches. For example one might limit the 

years used for base rates to 20 years but currently five of those years would be prior to 1995 and 

one might apply a pre-1995 adjustment to those years until they drop from the 20 year rating 

period. In general, we believe it is desirable to make these non-stationarity adjustments 

multiplicative and impose constraints on the magnitude of the effect these adjustments would 

have on loss costs. Once the non-stationarity adjustments are made then weather probabilities 

would be applied. 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 66

Table 4.20. Region non-stationarity tests for spring and winter wheat.

Region Pre-1995 Loss Cost 

Effect

Post 1994 Loss Cost 

Trend

Net Acres (10,000 

ac)

Spring wheat

Northern Plains 0.0185 .

Northern Plains -0.01318 -0.003639

Northern Plains . . -0.00008

Pacific Northwest 0.01188 .

Pacific Northwest 0.00661 -0.001259

Pacific Northwest . . -0.00084

Winter Wheat

Delta 0.13971 * . .

Delta 0.11266 * -0.0033819 .

Delta . . -0.00373

East 0.07386 . .

East 0.0304 -0.0048586 * .

East . . 0.00073

Great Plains -0.00941 . .

Great Plains -0.01839 -0.001152 .

Great Plains . . 0.0001 *

Midwest 0.04792 * . .

Midwest 0.00487 -0.0055326 .

Midwest . . 0.00003

Northern Plains -0.0611 . .

Northern Plains -0.0762 -0.0040727 .

Northern Plains . . 0.00057 *

Pacific Northwest -0.02197 * . .

Pacific Northwest -0.01697 0.0006348 .

Pacific Northwest . . -0.00006

Southeast 0.0484 * . .

Southeast 0.04179 -0.0007686 .

Southeast . . -0.00072

Southern Plains -0.08826 * . .

Southern Plains -0.02858 0.00713888 .

Southern Plains . . 0.00037 *

Southwest -0.03004 . .

Southwest -0.08856 -0.0074822 .

Southwest . . 0.00651 *
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 67

Table 4.21. Region non-stationarity tests for corn and soybeans. 

Region Pre-1995 Loss Cost 

Effect

Post 1994 Loss Cost 

Trend

Net Acres (10,000 

ac)

Corn

Delta 0.034925 * . .

Delta 0.008874 -0.0029882 .

Delta . . -0.00154 *

East 0.006703 . .

East -0.00962 -0.0018861 .

East . . 0.00044

Midwest 0.043685 * . .

Midwest 0.020337 -0.0028144 * .

Midwest . . -0.00009 *

Southeast 0.014344 . .

Southeast -0.02243 -0.0047605 .

Southeast . . -0.00001 *

Southern Plains 0.0087 . .

Southern Plains -0.00459 -0.0016893 * .

Southern Plains . . -0.00007

West 0.035159 . .

West 0.0547 0.00222292 .

West . . 0.00191

Soybeans

Delta 0.10693 * . .

Delta 0.07751 * -0.0037164 .

Delta . . -0.00067

East -0.00347 . .

East -0.02656 -0.0026502 * .

East . . 0.00010262

Midwest 0.03513 * . .

Midwest 0.03005 * -0.0006099 .

Midwest . . -0.000082

Southeast 0.07068 * . .

Southeast -0.00497 -0.0090618 * .

Southeast . . -0.0003843

Upper Midwest 0.01123 . .

Upper Midwest 0.00244 -0.0010989 .

Upper Midwest . . -0000475

West 0.04458 . .

West 0.05379 0.00120945 .

West . . -0.0003471
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 68

Table 4.22. Region non-stationarity tests for sorghum and cotton. 

Region Pre-1995 

Loss Cost 

Effect

Post 1994 

Loss Cost 

Trend

Net 

Acres 

(10,000 

ac)

Sorghum

Delta 0.06341 * . .

Delta 0.09199 * 0.003598 .

Delta . . 0.00146

East 0.04206 . .

East 0.02496 -0.002065 .

East . . 0.13723

Midwest 0.03544 * . .

Midwest 0.00381 -0.003726 .

Midwest . . 0.0001

Southeast 0.10649 * . .

Southeast 0.02314 -0.010552 * .

Southeast . . -0.07146

Upper Midwest -0.02973 . .

Upper Midwest -0.10657 -0.008961 .

Upper Midwest . . 0.00277

West -0.04838 * . .

West -0.07605 * -0.003563 .

West . . 0.00008

Cotton

Delta 0.03686 * . .

Delta 0.00329 -0.003946 .

Delta . . 0.00008

Southeast -0.01487 . .

Southeast -0.08212 * -0.009031 * .

Southeast . . 0.00008

Southwest 0.00098 . .

Southwest -0.12678 * -0.015504 * .

Southwest . . 0.00008

West -0.00996 . .

West -0.04922 -0.005002 * .

West . . 0.00008 *
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 69

Table 4.23. Region non-stationarity tests for barley.

Region Pre-1995 

Loss Cost 

Effect

Post 1994 

Loss Cost 

Trend

Net Acres 

(10,000 ac)

Barley

Great Plains 0.00648 .

Great Plains -0.03612 -0.004959

Great Plains . . 0.00258

Midwest -0.08571 * .

Midwest -0.0708 0.002078

Midwest . . -0.00245

Northern Plains 0.01479 .

Northern Plains -0.03695 -0.006152

Northern Plains . . -0.00014

Pacific Northwest -0.01843 .

Pacific Northwest 0.00037 0.002385

Pacific Northwest . . -0.00069

Southwest 0.00694 .

Southwest 0.12566 0.011005

Southwest . . 0.02428
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 70

Table 4.24 National-level non-stationarity estimates.

Pre-1995 Loss 

Cost Effect

Post 1994 Loss 

Cost Trend

Net Acres 

(10,000 ac)

Spring wheat 

-0.00503 . .

-0.01618 -0.00132 .

. . 1.26E-09

Winter wheat

0.024777 * . .

0.011013 -0.0017 .

. . 0.000021593

Corn

0.030991 * . .

0.006862 -0.00289 * .

. . -0.000091562 *

Soybeans

0.046959 * . .

0.027417 * -0.00236 * .

. . -0.00012155 *

Sorghum

0.037107 . .

0.004925 -0.00393 * .

. . -0.000176957

Cotton

0.002815 . .

-0.05395 * -0.00687 * .

. . 0.00019965 *

Rice

0.03342 * . .

0.034434 * 0.000128 .

. . -0.000317513

Barley 

0.020735 . .

0.002854 -0.0021 .

. . 0.000020118
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 71

Using Shortened Loss Cost Series for Base Rates 

Table 4.25 reports the national level averages from an analysis that reflects another alternative 

means to address non-stationarity in program loss cost expectations. These results largely follow 

the same approach as reported in Table 4.9. However, in this analysis data from older years are 

omitted from the base rate calculation if it more than 20 years old. The approach assumes that a 

longer time series would be used to quantify the catastrophic load. The results in Table 4.25 are 

derived by conducting the weather weighting procedure described earlier, but then any data older 

than 20 years are dropped from the binning step of the process. 

The table reflects three scenarios relative to the catastrophic load. First, we show the no 

censoring scenarios which use the full loss cost record and ignore catastrophic loading, then we 

report estimates assuming the loss cost is censored at the 80th or the 90th percentile. In each 

scenario we report both weather –weighted and an unweighted result. All results are report as a 

percentage of the table 9 results. Values greater than 100% suggest that the shorter series would 

increase rates relative to using 30 years of data, while values of less than 100% indicate that 

current rates would be lowered by shortening the base rate series. Within a crop the results are 

largely consistent across censoring scenarios. For example, all values for apples are above 100% 

while all values for barley are less than 100%. 

The results for three crops suggest that limiting loss cost histories to 20 years would result in 

substantially higher rates for apples, cotton and winter wheat. Conversely, barley, corn, 

soybeans and spring wheat all are observed to have substantially lower rates. Note that 

significant variation is observed within a crop. 

Weighting Approaches 

In this section, we explore three other “weighting” approaches: net acre weighting, decile 

weighting, and linear weighting. Given the weather weighting approach discussed above, all the 

recency weighting here is done in the step where the average loss cost is calculated within each 

bin (i.e., within-bin averaging). For example, if there are 3 years in bin 5 that includes 1986, 

1994, and 2008, then the year 2008 is given more weight than 1994 and 1986, and 1994 has 

more weight compared to 1986 when we take the within-bin average loss cost. After taking the 

within-bin average loss costs that accounts for recency, then the average across bins is calculated 

without anymore weighting (consistent with the weather weighting approach described in the 

previous section). 

Net Acre Weighting 

In this approach, we use the county level net acres insured as weights to account for recency. The 

county level net acre variable is effectively a “proxy” for recency weights given that it has been 

increasing over time (from 1980 till the 2000s) (See Figure 3.3). In Table 4.26, we present the 

national summary results for all crops when net acre weighting is applied. Comparing these 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 72

results with Table 4.9 (no recency weighting), we find that the average loss costs for barley, 

corn, potatoes, rice, soybeans, and spring wheat tend to be lower with net acre weighting than 

without. In contrast, the average loss costs for apples, cotton, sorghum, and winter wheat tend to 

be higher under the net acre weighting scheme as compared to when there is no net acre 

weighting.

Decile or Decade Weighting 

The main idea for the decile or decade weighting approach is to produce three separate “stepdown” weights for the following three decades 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. In this case, we would 

like to give more weight to the years in the more recent decades such that: weight for 2000s > 

weight for 1990s > weight for 1980s. Since the data from 2000s is the most recent, the years in 

the 2000s will always get a weight of one. 

The challenge is to be able to calculate the “declining” weights for the 1990s and 1980s. The 

construction of the decile weights is done at the state level and it depends on the median loss cost 

of the middle weather bins for each decade. Given the state level construction, all counties within 

a particular state have the same decile weights and these decile weights only vary across states. 

In this case, the weather index development and the loss year classification (i.e. assigning years 

to bins), as described in the weather weighting approach, has to be conducted at the state level as 

well.

Using the data from the state-level binning results, the following relationship for the middle bins 

of each state is examined first: median loss cost for 1980s > median loss cost for 1990s > median 

loss cost for 2000s. If this relationship holds for a particular state, then all counties in the state 

will have the following decile weights: weight for 2000s =1, weight for 1990s = median loss cost 

in 2000s/median loss cost in 1990s, weight for 1980s = median loss cost for 2000s/median loss 

cost in 1980s. Again, the medians here are calculated for the middle weather bins only (to be 

able to account for/normalize the weather effect on losses). This would result in declining 

decadal weights, given that the relationship above holds. 

One issue is that there are cases where the relationship described above does not hold. In cases 

like this, we then explore whether at least the following two relationships hold: (a) median loss 

cost for 1980s > median loss cost for 2000s or (b) median loss cost for 1990s > median loss cost 

for 2000s. If (a) holds, then the decile weights are set as follows: weights 2000s = 1 and weights 

for 1980s and 1990s = median loss cost for 2000s/median los cost 1980s. If (b) holds, then the 

decile weights are set as follows: weights 2000s = 1 and weights for 1980s and 1990s = median 

loss cost in 2000s/median loss cost in 1990s. If any of the conditions (the original in the previous 

paragraph, (a), and (b)) above does not hold, then all years are weighted equally in these states

(i.e., weights = 1 for all decades; equal weighting).

Given the approach described above, a “declining” decile weighting scheme is applied when the 

median loss cost for the most recent decade (2000s) is lower than the earlier decades. If the loss 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 73

cost for a particular state is trending upward (i.e. loss costs in the most recent decade is higher 

than previous decades), then equal weighting is applied and the higher loss costs in the most 

recent years are not given more weight. This is an “asymmetric” weighting scheme as it stands, 

but a “symmetric” scheme that is applied in cases where loss costs are trending up or trending 

down can still be implemented. 

Application of the decile weighting approach described above for all crops is presented in Table 

4.27. Comparing this table with Table 4.9 (no recency weighting), we find that the average loss 

costs for barley, corn, cotton, potatoes, rice, soybeans, spring wheat, and winter wheat tend to be 

lower with asymmetric decile weighting than without any recency weighting. In contrast, the 

average loss costs for apples and sorghum tend to be higher under the asymmetric decile 

weighting method as compared to when there is no recency weighting. Note that these results 

may change if a symmetric weighting approach is used (i.e., it is likely that there will be more 

cases/crops where loss costs under this scheme would be higher than the approach without any 

recency weighting). 

Linear Weighting

In Coble et al. (2010; p. 81), it was suggested that a scheme based on a linear weighting system 

may be one approach for giving more weight to more recent years of loss cost data. In particular, 

using a declining weight function of the form: j wt j − = λ , where w is the weight, and λ is a 

weighting parameter where 0< λ<1 (note that in our case: time t = 2009 to 1980 and j=0 to 29). 

This approach provides a “smoother” system for assigning recency weights. This is in contrast to 

the decile weighting described above where there are abrupt “step-down” weights for each 

decade.

In Table 4.28, we present the results of a linear weighting scheme where lambda is assumed to 

be equal 0.8 for all counties. Comparing this table with Table 4.9 (no recency weighting), we 

find that the average loss costs for barley, corn, cotton, potatoes, rice, soybeans, and spring 

wheat tend to be lower with the linear weighting scheme than without any recency weighting. In 

contrast, the average loss costs for apples, sorghum, winter wheat tend to be higher under the 

linear weighting system as compared to when there is no recency weighting. 

One limitation of the linear weighting scheme implemented above is the ad hoc assumption of 

using 0.8 as the value for lambda. In Table 4.28, we simply assume this lambda value. Hence, 

the question is whether there is a more empirical approach to assigning lambda. One possible 

approach is to do a grid-search over the domain of lambda (for example, from 0.99 to 0.01) and 

picking the value where the out-of-sample prediction error is smallest. This exercise can be done 

at the state level so that the value of lambda will only vary across states. Note that the linear 

weighting applied above is a “symmetric” weighting scheme where the declining weights are 

always applied even in cases where loss costs are trending upwards. 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 74

Summary 

For the major commodity crops (e.g., corn, soybeans, spring wheat, and cotton), accounting for 

recency using all the weighting schemes above generally reduces the average loss costs 

compared to when recency is not accounted for. But for other crops like apples and sorghum, 

recency weighting generally increases the liability weighted average loss cost at the national 

level.

Liability average loss costs of corn, soybeans, spring wheat and cotton tend to be lowest under 

the linear weighting or net acre weighting scheme. It should be noted, however, that the resulting 

liability-weighted average loss costs for all the recency weighting schemes described above are 

similar to the approach of simply using 20 years of the most recent data in the calculation (See 

Table 4.29 below). Hence, there is appeal to using the “most recent 20 years” approach to 

account for recency because of its simplicity in implementation compared to the other 

approaches described above.
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 75

Table 4.25. Aggregate implications of shortening loss cost history to twenty years. 

20 year loss cost as a percentage of 30 year loss cost 

Crop No. of 

Counties 

Unweighted 

loss costs 

(no 

censoring)

Weather 

weighted 

loss costs 

(no 

censoring)

Unweighted 

loss costs 

(censoring 

at 80th) 

Weather 

weighted 

loss costs 

(censoring 

at 80th) 

Unweighted 

loss costs 

(censoring 

at 90th) 

Weather 

weighted 

loss costs 

(censoring 

at 90th) 

Apples 138 106% 106% 107% 107% 107% 107%

Barley 629 80% 85% 89% 92% 84% 88%

Corn 1914 82% 88% 88% 90% 86% 89%

Cotton 431 106% 97% 109% 103% 109% 101%

Potatoes 127 97% 98% 100% 100% 99% 100%

Rice 83 82% 90% 97% 98% 92% 96%

Sorghum 727 101% 102% 101% 102% 102% 104%

Soybeans 1512 84% 87% 84% 87% 84% 87%

spring 

wheat

242 86% 96% 90% 95% 87% 94%

Winter

wheat

937 104% 105% 109% 107% 108% 107%
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 76

Table 4.26. Liability weighted national average (across counties) of unweighted and weather 

weighted average loss costs for apples, barley, corn, cotton, potatoes, rice, sorghum, soybeans, 

spring wheat and winter wheat where recency is accounted for based on weighting with net acres 

insured. 

Crop No. of 

Counties 

Unweighted 

loss costs 

(no 

censoring) 

Weather 

weighted 

loss costs 

(no 

censoring) 

Unweighted 

loss costs 

(censoring 

at 80th) 

Weather 

weighted 

loss costs 

(censoring 

at 80th) 

Unweighted 

loss costs 

(censoring 

at 90th) 

Weather 

weighted 

loss costs 

(censoring 

at 90th) 

apples 140 0.2136085 0.18699 0.1771056 0.1576884 0.1976167 0.1758409

barley 646 0.0992693 0.0956556 0.0748457 0.0689429 0.0891087 0.0830908

corn 1930 0.0392705 0.0469135 0.0261702 0.0281878 0.0335283 0.0382481

cotton 437 0.1605034 0.1459869 0.1203881 0.1129118 0.1428675 0.1320719

potatoes 128 0.0822251 0.0799372 0.0689341 0.0653896 0.0775737 0.0734819

rice 84 0.0197633 0.0226357 0.014755 0.0147192 0.0179126 0.0188639

sorghum 750 0.1407187 0.1351842 0.0969112 0.0937687 0.1218699 0.1171366

soybeans 1523 0.0446129 0.0495869 0.0347107 0.0362827 0.0404842 0.0433171

spring 

wheat 

244 0.1215366 0.1150827 0.0919328 0.0874509 0.1112503 0.1055005

winter 

wheat 

951 0.1073631 0.0886324 0.0783354 0.0681608 0.0931634 0.0791437

Note: These are the national average loss costs across all counties (i.e., liability weighted 

average) where the insignificance flags and state proxy flags are not equal to one.
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 77 

Table 4.27. Liability weighted national average (across counties) of unweighted and weather 

weighted average loss costs for apples, barley, corn, cotton, potatoes, rice, sorghum, soybeans, 

spring wheat and winter wheat where recency is accounted for using asymmetric decile 

weighting.

Crop No. of 

Counties 

Unweighted 

loss costs 

(no 

censoring) 

Weather 

weighted 

loss costs 

(no 

censoring) 

Unweighted 

loss costs 

(censoring 

at 80th) 

Weather 

weighted 

loss costs 

(censoring 

at 80th) 

Unweighted 

loss costs 

(censoring 

at 90th) 

Weather 

weighted 

loss costs 

(censoring 

at 90th) 

apples 140 0.1845765 0.1767554 0.1516272 0.1469343 0.1729096 0.1660752

barley 646 0.1035774 0.0947588 0.0728447 0.0677464 0.0888289 0.0818292

corn 1930 0.0455134 0.0504807 0.0272444 0.0287956 0.0364903 0.0397437

cotton 437 0.1423415 0.1456929 0.1098623 0.1110354 0.1283831 0.130419

potatoes 128 0.081111 0.0806767 0.065913 0.0649548 0.0746961 0.0733913

rice 84 0.0231644 0.0236532 0.0143203 0.0142576 0.0183361 0.0184296

sorghum 750 0.1210101 0.1318028 0.0888684 0.0923029 0.1081026 0.1141039

soybeans 1523 0.0502049 0.0517504 0.0363647 0.0368126 0.0438882 0.0445343

spring 

wheat 

244 0.1195638 0.1164355 0.0881649 0.0871797 0.1080548 0.1059476

winter 

wheat 

951 0.0979213 0.0852977 0.0720352 0.0656954 0.0850161 0.0760926

Note: These are the national average loss costs across all counties (i.e., liability weighted 

average) where the insignificance flags and state proxy flags are not equal to one.
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 78

Table 4.28. Liability weighted national average (across counties) of unweighted and weather 

weighted average loss costs for apples, barley, corn, cotton, potatoes, rice, sorghum, soybeans, 

spring wheat and winter wheat where recency is accounted for using linear weighting with λ = 

0.8. 

Crop No. of 

Counties 

Unweighted 

loss costs 

(no 

censoring) 

Weather 

weighted 

loss costs 

(no 

censoring) 

Unweighted 

loss costs 

(censoring 

at 80th) 

Weather 

weighted 

loss costs 

(censoring 

at 80th) 

Unweighted 

loss costs 

(censoring 

at 90th) 

Weather 

weighted 

loss costs 

(censoring 

at 90th) 

apples 140 0.2717638 0.206555 0.2139327 0.1684872 0.2461658 0.1915181

barley 646 0.0764412 0.0889495 0.0634834 0.0666461 0.0724698 0.0793477

corn 1930 0.0303293 0.0439634 0.0228138 0.0272648 0.0275455 0.0365273

cotton 437 0.152981 0.1380243 0.1059132 0.1066816 0.1284575 0.1246372

potatoes 128 0.0682266 0.0792112 0.0604934 0.065126 0.065762 0.0731629

rice 84 0.0135211 0.0204599 0.0111938 0.0134719 0.0126181 0.0170293

sorghum 750 0.1343515 0.1346023 0.0922405 0.0940785 0.1159699 0.1169317

soybeans 1523 0.0348925 0.0463969 0.0287758 0.0339744 0.0326577 0.0404802

spring 

wheat 

244 0.0920505 0.1073243 0.0749443 0.0839555 0.0870996 0.0995594

winter 

wheat 

951 0.1194645 0.0906294 0.0833433 0.0688864 0.1006851 0.0802436

Note: These are the national average loss costs across all counties (i.e., liability weighted 

average) where the insignificance flags and state proxy flags are not equal to one. 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 79

Table 4.29. Liability weighted national average (across counties) of unweighted and weather 

weighted average loss costs for apples, barley, corn, cotton, potatoes, rice, sorghum, soybeans, 

spring wheat and winter wheat where recency is accounted for by using the most recent 20 years 

of data only. 

Crop No. of 

Counties 

Unweighted 

loss costs 

(no 

censoring) 

Weather 

weighted 

loss costs 

(no 

censoring) 

Unweighted 

loss costs 

(censoring 

at 80th) 

Weather 

weighted 

loss costs 

(censoring 

at 80th) 

Unweighted 

loss costs 

(censoring 

at 90th) 

Weather 

weighted 

loss costs 

(censoring 

at 90th) 

apples 138 0.1954522 0.1855349 0.1619009 0.1557007 0.184652 0.1759565

barley 629 0.0826886 0.0812677 0.064345 0.0621968 0.0744748 0.0724301

corn 1914 0.0415752 0.0461098 0.0253727 0.0263999 0.0337864 0.0364014

cotton 431 0.1519396 0.1419295 0.1202358 0.1141178 0.1406828 0.1317698

potatoes 127 0.0805161 0.0788176 0.0661329 0.0646112 0.074741 0.0727677

rice 83 0.0215826 0.0227762 0.0150129 0.0145862 0.0186913 0.0186174

sorghum 727 0.1221199 0.1338205 0.0893262 0.0941685 0.1104833 0.119158

soybeans 1512 0.0453196 0.0469253 0.0322739 0.0329237 0.0392736 0.0403107

spring 

wheat 

242 0.1048348 0.1119701 0.0801261 0.0825618 0.0949669 0.1000168

winter 

wheat 

937 0.1020952 0.0891515 0.0786298 0.0700948 0.0923004 0.0816391

Note: These are the national average loss costs across all counties (i.e., liability weighted 

average) where the insignificance flags and state proxy flags are not equal to one.
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 80

5. Recommendations and Assessment of Alternative Approaches 

As directed by the statement of work for this project Sumaria has performed a detailed 

investigation to develop an optimal methodology for weighting, or otherwise adjusting, RMA’s 

historical loss cost data in order to maximize its statistical validity for developing premium rates. 

The statement of work also directed us to deliver a report that offers multiple approaches that 

compare and contrast the varying combinations of the factors based on statistical validity, 

feasibility, sustainability, and a balance of improvement versus complexity. In our assessment 

and recommendations we will discuss separately the two primary thrusts of this study -- weather 

weighting and changing severity of loss cost over time. 

5.1 Recommendations

Weather Weighting 

We were directed to consider the Palmer Drought Index and other weather variables to control 

for differences in crop growing conditions. We have conducted analysis nationally for nine 

crops (apples, barley, corn, cotton, potatoes, rice, sorghum, soybeans, and wheat). These crops 

represent major crops insured by RMA and specialty crops which have unique weather risks. 

We believe this provides a robust assessment of weather weighting. 

Recommendation 1. – After evaluating various alternative sources of data based on several 

criteria we believe the weather data collection that best meets these criteria is the National 

Climatic Data Center’s Time Bias Corrected Divisional Temperature-Precipitation-Drought 

Index data, also call the Climate Division Data. 

While more detailed data may be available in some cases it is often for shorter time periods or 

limited locations. The climate division data provide several drought indexes and other weather 

variables, time-aggregated to the monthly level and spatially-aggregated to the climate division 

level for the years back to 1895. Thus, these data will allow RMA to compare the weather 

experienced under the modern program to weather extending 80 years past the 1975 cut-off of 

loss cost data. 

Recommendation 2. – After evaluating various methods to capture the relationship of RMA loss 

experience to weather we recommend RMA use fractional logit models estimated at the climate 

division level to relate loss cost experience to the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) and 

Cooling Degree Days (CDD). Time period variants of both should be used for different crops 

and locations. Out-of-sample forecasting competition would be used to select the specific model 

time-period/variables for a crop/climate division and if the models are not found statistically 

significant we recommend no weather weighting be performed. This process creates a weather 

index from 1895-present which ranks the growing conditions experienced in each year.
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 81

Fractional logit models account for the frequent occurrence of zeros in the regression dependent 

variable. We recommend out-of-sample competition for model selection to avoid over-fitting the 

model. PDSI is recommended because it subsumes effects of both precipitation and temperature 

and provides a locally relative scale ranging from very wet to very dry conditions. The CDD 

allows measurement of both excess heat in critical periods and sufficient heat for plant growth 

over a full season. 

Recommendation 3. – Given recommendation 2 we propose that RMA categorize the loss cost 

experience observed over the period chosen into weather ‘probability bins’. These bins would 

be chosen according to a step-wise procedure which would choose a parsimonious number of 

bins for the crop/climate division. Once observed loss costs are categorized in bins, all 

historical loss costs within a bin are given equal probability weight. The bins recommended 

would have variable width but equal probability. 

Essentially a form of creating a non-parametric histogram, this procedure was chosen to avoid 

estimation of parametric densities for each crop/climate division. Loss costs are bounded 

between zero and one. They are also frequently right skewed with infrequent but severe upward 

spikes in some years. The weather index provides a measure of weather probability over 115 

years, but RMA experience extends for no more than 35 years. Thus, the longer time period will 

provide probabilities that may not be observed in RMA experience. The variable width binning 

process we propose ensures actual observations in all bins.

Recommendation 4. – While not a directive in the statement of work, a conclusion reached 

during our analysis is that RMA should use all years available to calculate the catastrophic load 

and that extreme loss costs within the catastrophic load should be weighted using the weather 

index probabilities. Further, we recommend changing the catastrophic load cutoff to 90% and 

reducing the aggregation region for catastrophic load from the state level to a climate division 

which is consistent with the weather weighting procedure. 

Specifically, if the weather index for a particular year is above the 97th percentile, we 

recommend that the weight given to that year’s input to the catastrophe load be adjusted to 

reflect the percentile of the weather index. That is, if the data span 30 years of experience, a year 

with a weather index at the 98th percentile should be given 2% (1-in-50) weight rather than 

3.33% (1-in-30) weight. The weight taken from the adjusted year should then be spread evenly 

among the remaining years. 

Changing Severity of Loss Costs

We were also directed to consider changing severity of loss costs over time due to technological 

advances and changing agronomic conditions. Finally we were asked to address how to 

incorporate program participation changes over time in a way that represents the current 

program. There are a variety of factors that suggest non-stationarity in loss cost data. Primary 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 82

factors we find in RMA data are an expanding participant pool, evolving production systems, 

and changing program underwriting rules. RMA is confronted with the inherent conundrum of 

significant weather risk which suggests use of a long data series for rating while accounting for 

the fact that recent experience is often more representative of the current insurance contract and 

pool of insureds than older experience. 

We examined several approaches including: 

1. A discrete adjustment to data prior to 1995 

2. A discrete adjustment to data prior to 1995 plus a trend adjustment since 1995 

3. Adjusting loss cost based as a function of net acres insured 

4. Shortening the loss history for base rates (not catastrophic loads) to twenty years 

5. Decadal weights comparing median loss cost bins 

6. A linear recency effect

7. Net acre weights within probability bins 

All of these approaches have instances where they appear to perform well. The first three 

procedures require model estimation while the fourth is a procedure that would only slightly alter 

current RMA practices. We believe all could be made compatible with other RMA procedures 

and with weather weighting. However, we stress that where statistical analysis indicates nonstationarity in the loss cost history, making no adjustment results in a rate that is not actuarially 

sound. Ultimately we recommend a combination of option 1, 4 and 7. The discrete adjustment 

for data prior to 1995 would be applied to the adjusted loss cost data first. Specifically we would 

estimate the effect at a regional level and calculate a percentage difference by state using the 

effect relative to the post-1995 average loss cost. Shortening the loss history for base rates to 20 

years while using more years for catastrophic loading reflects the recognition that a longer time 

series is needed to capture extreme events than for the risks quantified by the base rate. Finally, 

using net acre weighting within probability categories “bins’ recognizes the additional credibility 

of experience that is based on more exposed acres. 

 

5.2 Implications 

As directed by the statement of work for this project, Sumaria has performed a detailed 

investigation of the proposed methodology for weighting, and otherwise adjusting, RMA’s 

historical loss cost data in order to maximize its statistical validity for developing premium rates. 

Our team has also provided analysis of the implications of the proposed approach. This section 

of the report summarizes the effect the proposed approach will have on RMA rates. Because 

corn and soybeans are a priority for implementation our results analysis focuses on those crops. 

Table 5.1 reports national average estimated changes in corn and soybeans base premium rates. 

These results are liability weighted averages of county level data. They are derived by assuming 

catastrophic loading will occur at the 90th percentile in the future rather than at the 80th as has 

been used in the past. The estimated base rate change is calculated by comparing the base rate 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 83

derived using current procedures versus proposed procedures. Current procedures are modeled 

using 30 years of adjusted loss cost data and using a simple average of the adjusted loss costs 

after the catastrophic loading procedure is applied. The proposed procedure includes four 

modifications of the current base rating procedure: 

1. A pre-1995 adjustment, 

2. Weather weighting, 

3. Net acre weighting within probability bins, and 

4. The use of a 20 year moving average of loss data. 

The results in Table 5.1 reflect the combined effect of all four modifications. Note that these 

results do not impose restrictions on the annual magnitude of adjustment and do not include the 

catastrophic load portion of the rate. Further, these estimated changes impact only the yield 

portion of a rate and would not alter the price risk portion of a revenue insurance rate. 

The national average change in corn base premium rates is 19.1 percent and 25.2 percent for 

soybeans. However, while the percentage change for soybeans is larger than for corn, the 

national average soybean base rates are also higher. The table also reports a breakout for four 

states (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Minnesota). For corn, the percentage rate reduction in all four 

of these states is well above the national average. For soybeans, the rate reduction in Illinois is 

over 43.6 percent, but in the other three states the rate reduction is on par with the national 

average. 

Further disaggregation of the results can be seen in figure 5.1 which shows county-by-county 

comparisons in a map. These results show even greater heterogeneity across locations. In 

general, the greatest percentage rate reduction for corn occurs in major production regions and 

some outlying irrigated counties. While the national average base rate declines 19 percent, there 

are regions with substantial rate increases such as portions of western Kansas and portions of 

New England.

Figure 5.2 reports the county-by-county results for soybeans. The variation across counties is 

somewhat less dramatic than for corn. In general, the Corn Belt is observed to have rate 

reductions which are centered in Illinois. Some other regions have similar reduction such as the 

Mid-South. Rate increases are suggested in some Western Plains states and portions of the 

Eastern Seaboard. 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 84

Table 5.1 Estimated effects on base rates. 

National 

Average 

Illinois Indiana Iowa Minnesota

Corn Current Procedure 3.49% 1.66% 2.37% 1.45% 2.33%

Proposed Modification 2.83% 1.04% 1.60% 1.01% 1.31%

Percent change -19.1% -37.7% -32.6% -30.7% -43.8%

Soybeans Current Procedure 4.41% 1.82% 2.31% 1.38% 3.13%

Proposed Modification 3.29% 1.02% 1.77% 1.02% 2.32%

Percent change -25.2% -43.6% -23.3% -25.7% -25.7%
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 85

Figure 5.1 county level changes in estimated base rate for corn (508 compliant data is in 

Appendix D-7).
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 86

Figure 5.2 county level changes in estimated base rate for soybeans (508 compliant data is 

in Appendix D-8).

 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 87

References

Actuarial Standards Board. 2009. “Actuarial Standard of Practice No. 13: Trending Procedures 

in Property/Casualty Insurance—Revised Edition.” Developed by the Subcommittee on 

Ratemaking of the Casualty Committee of the Actuarial Standards Board.

Casualty Actuary Society. 1988. “Statement of Principles Regarding Property and Casualty 

Insurance Ratemaking.” Guidelines adopted by the Board of Directors of the Casualty Actuary 

Society. 

Coble, K.H., T.O. Knight, B.K. Goodwin, M.F. Miller and R.M. Rejesus. 2010. “A 

Comprehensive Review of the RMA APH and COMBO Rating Methodology: Final Report.” 

Report prepared for the USDA – Risk Management Agency-USDA by Sumaria Systems, Inc.

Copas, J.B. 1983. Regression, prediction and shrinkage. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, 

Series B, vol 45, pp 311-354. 

Dai, A., K. E. Trenberth, and T. Qian. 2004. A global data set of Palmer Drought Severity Index 

for 1870-2002: Relationship with soil moisture and effects of surface warming. J. 

Hydrometeorology, vol. 5, 1117-1130, American Meteorological Society, Boston, MA. 

Guttman, N. and R. Quayle. 1996. A historical perspective of U.S. climate divisions. Bulletin of 

the American Meteorological Society, vol. 77(2), pp. 293-303, American Meteorological 

Society, Boston, MA. 

Josephson, G.R., R.B. Lord, and C.W. Mitchell. 2000. “Actuarial Documentation of Multiple 

Peril Crop Insurance Ratemaking Procedures.” Report prepared for the USDA – Risk 

Management Agency by Milliman & Robertson, Inc., Brookfield, WI. 

Karl, T.R., C. N. Williams, P. J. Young, and W. Wendland. 1986. A model to estimate the time 

of observation bias associated with monthly mean maximum, minimum, and mean temperatures 

for the United States. Journal of Climate and Applied Meteorology, January 1986, vol. 25, pp. 

145-160, American Meteorological Society, Boston, MA. 

NCDC. 1994. Time Bias Corrected Divisional Temperature-Precipitation-Drought Index. 

Documentation for dataset TD-9640. Available from DBMB, NCDC, NOAA, Federal Building, 

37 Battery Park Ave. Asheville, NC 28801-2733. 12 pp. 

Papke, L. E. and J. Wooldridge. 1996. “Econometric methods for fractional response variables 

with an application to 401(k) plan participation rates.” Journal of Applied Econometrics 11: 

619–632. 
Methodology Analysis for Weighting of Historical Experience

Page 88

Rencher, A.C. and F.C. Pun, 1980. Inflation of R2 in Best Subset Regression. Technometrics, vol 

22, pp 49-54. 

Wilhelmy, O., K. Hubbard, and D. Wilhite, D. 2002. Spatial representation of agroclimatology in 

a study of agricultural drought, International Journal of Climatology, vol 22(11), pp. 1399–1414.