SUMMARY OF CHANGES FOR THE 

HURRICANE INSURANCE PROTECTION WIND - INDEX ENDORSEMENT (23-HIP-WI)

(Released June 2022) 

The following is a brief description of changes to the endorsement that will be effective for the 2023 and 

succeeding crop years. Please refer to the crop provisions for more complete information. 

• Preamble – Revised to clarify that the coverage provided by this Endorsement may be combined with 

other endorsements that do not duplicate the coverage of HIP-WI, and not limited to the Supplemental 

Coverage Option (SCO) Endorsement and the Stacked Income Protection Plan (STAX). 

• Section 1 – Revised the definition of “Hurricane coverage range” to clarify that the coverage provided by 

this Endorsement may be combined with other endorsements that do not duplicate the coverage of HIPWI, not limited to SCO and STAX and that such other endorsements may be used to calculate the 

hurricane coverage range. 

• Section 3 – Revised to clarify that the coverage provided by this Endorsement may be combined with 

other endorsements that do not duplicate the coverage of HIP-WI, not limited to SCO and STAX. 

• Section 6 – Revised to clarify that other endorsements not limited to SCO and STAX may be used to 

calculate the Hurricane Protection Amount. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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23-HIP-WI

(Released June 2022) 

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

FEDERAL CROP INSURANCE CORPORATION 

HURRICANE INSURANCE PROTECTION WIND - INDEX ENDORSEMENT 

In return for your payment of premium and administrative fee for the coverage, this Endorsement will be attached to and made 

part of the Common Crop Insurance Policy, Basic Provisions (Basic Provisions) and Crop Provisions for the insured crop, subject 

to the terms and conditions described herein. The Hurricane Insurance Protection-Wind Index (HIP-WI) Endorsement provides 

coverage for a portion of the deductible of your underlying insurance policy that is not otherwise covered, when the insured county, 

or a county adjacent to it, is within the area of sustained hurricane force winds from a named hurricane according to the National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This Endorsement does not provide payments for prevented planting or 

replanting. Nor is it available with the Occurrence Loss Option (OLO) or the Comprehensive Tree Value (CTV) Endorsement. 

Factors other than wind damage may be associated with a hurricane but will not trigger a loss. The coverage provided by this 

Endorsement may be combined with other endorsements that provide additional coverage for a portion of the underlying policy 

deductible and does not provide the same coverage as the HIP-WI coverage range. Examples of other endorsements that can be 

combined with HIP-WI include Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) Endorsement and Stacked Income Protection Plan (STAX), 

when acreage covered by STAX is also insured by a companion policy. 

1. Definitions

Adjacent county - Counties identified in the US Census

County Adjacency File located at

https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/county_adj

acency.txt, unless modified in the actuarial documents.

County - In addition to the definition in the Basic

Provisions, county boundaries may be modified for

purposes of determining coverage and county loss trigger

in the actuarial documents.

County loss trigger - The occurrence of sustained

hurricane force winds in a county or adjacent county, as

determined by the Risk Management Agency (RMA), in

accordance with the Hurricane Data Provisions (HDP) and

identified on the actuarial documents. The date of the

county loss trigger will be the day of arrival of the

sustained hurricane force wind field from a named

hurricane in the county or adjacent county, as determined

by RMA in accordance with HDP.

Coverage percentage - A factor elected, between 1 and

100 percent in whole percent increments, used to

determine the Hurricane Protection Amount.

Expected crop value - The value of the crop based upon

the underlying policy and determined by dividing the

liability of the underlying policy by the coverage level, and

further dividing by the percent of the price or price election

of the underlying policy.

Hurricane coverage range - The amount of difference

between 95 percent and the higher of the coverage level

of your underlying policy or, if applicable, the upper end of

your SCO coverage range (if SCO coverage applies),

STAX coverage range (if STAX coverage applies), or

other endorsement coverage where such endorsement

provides additional coverage for a portion of the

underlying policy deductible. The hurricane coverage

range is expressed as a whole percentage.

Hurricane Data Provisions (HDP) - A document that

describes the methodology utilized by RMA, incorporating

NOAA hurricane data, that identifies a county subjected to

sustained hurricane force winds, and any county adjacent

to that county.

Hurricane Protection Amount (HPA) - The dollar

amount of insurance as determined by section 6 of this

Endorsement.

Insurance period -

In lieu of section 11 of the Basic Provisions,

(a) the period:

(1) Beginning on the insurance attachment date,

when provided in the HIP-WI actuarial

documents; or the later of:

(i) The sales closing date for the underlying

policy; or

(ii) The earliest planting date, for each planting

period when applicable, for the underlying

policy; and

(2) Ending on:

(i) The end of insurance date, for each planting

period when applicable, when provided in

the HIP-WI actuarial documents; or

(ii) The end of insurance date published, for

each planting period when applicable,

provided in the underlying policy actuarial

documents when not provided in the HIP-WI

actuarial documents.

(b) In lieu of (a) in this definition, for those crops where

the underlying policy requires a waiting period, the

period:

(1) Beginning on the date insurance attaches on the

underlying policy; and

(2) Ending on:

(i) The end of insurance date, for each planting

period when applicable, when provided in

the HIP-WI actuarial documents; or

(ii) The end of insurance date published, for

each planting period when applicable,

provided in the underlying policy actuarial

documents when not provided in the HIP-WI

actuarial documents.

Intended acreage report - In lieu of the definition 

contained in the Basic Provisions, a report of the acreage 

you intend to plant, by crop, for the current crop year and 

used solely for the purpose of establishing the number of 

eligible acres for coverage under this program as 

indicated in Section 4. 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

(NOAA) - An agency within the United States Department 

of Commerce, or its successor. 

Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) - A county-level 

crop insurance option that provides additional coverage 

for a portion of a producer’s underlying policy deductible. 

Stacked Income Protection Plan (STAX) - A crop 

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insurance product for upland cotton that provides 

coverage for a portion of the expected revenue for a 

producer’s area. 

Underlying policy - The Basic Provisions published at 7 

C.F.R. part 457 and Crop Provisions, to which this 

Endorsement is attached. A crop covered by any plan of 

insurance not under the Basic Provisions will not qualify 

as an underlying policy for this Endorsement. 

2. Conditions of Insurance 

(a) There must be an underlying policy in force with us to 

elect coverage under this Endorsement. 

(b) This Endorsement is applicable only in those counties 

where coverage is offered in the actuarial documents. 

(c) This Endorsement is not available with STAX when 

the acreage insured under STAX is not also insured 

under a companion policy. 

(d) To be eligible to receive an indemnity payment, the 

county loss trigger must occur within the insurance 

period, as defined in this Endorsement. For crop 

policies with multiple planting periods within an 

insurance period, only one indemnity payment is 

allowed per eligible planting period, on a per acre 

basis. 

(e) For the initial year you elect this Endorsement, 

coverage will not begin until the later of 14 days after 

the sales closing date or the end of the waiting period 

for the underlying policy when the underlying policy 

also requires a similar waiting period. 

(f) For subsequent years, you may change your HIP-WI 

coverage (e.g., lowering coverage on the underlying 

policy, increasing HIP-WI coverage percentage, 

decreasing STAX coverage level) by the sales closing 

date, and: 

(1) If you decrease your HIP-WI coverage, the 

decreased coverage will be effective without a 

waiting period. If a loss is triggered for your 

county within the waiting period, coverage for the 

acreage insurable at that time will be based on 

the lower coverage for your current insured year. 

(2) If you increase your HIP-WI coverage, the 

increased coverage will take effect the later of 14 

days after the sales closing date or the end of the 

waiting period for the underlying policy when the 

underlying policy also requires a similar waiting 

period. If a loss is triggered for your county within 

14 days after the sales closing date or the 

underlying policy waiting period, coverage for the 

acreage insured under HIP-WI for the current 

crop year will be limited to the HIP-WI coverage 

from the previous crop year. If additional acreage 

is insured under HIP-WI after the 14-day waiting 

period, or the waiting period of the underlying 

policy, and an additional hurricane event occurs, 

that acreage will be insured using the current 

year’s HIP-WI coverage. 

3. Life of Endorsement 

(a) This is a continuous Endorsement, in accordance with 

section 2 of the Basic Provisions. 

(b) If at any time your underlying policy for the crop is 

cancelled, voided, or terminated, coverage under this 

Endorsement is automatically cancelled, voided, or 

terminated as of the same date. 

(c) If you change the coverage level on the underlying 

policy, or add, change, or remove any SCO, STAX, or 

other endorsement that covers a portion of the 

underlying policy deductible by the sales closing date, 

this Endorsement will remain in effect and will provide 

HIP-WI coverage based on the revised hurricane 

coverage range, unless you cancel this Endorsement 

by the cancellation date. 

(d) After the HIP-WI sales closing date, if your SCO 

coverage on a farm number is removed due to the 

election of the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) 

program, or your STAX coverage changes due to 

enrollment in either the ARC or Price Loss Coverage 

(PLC) program, your hurricane coverage range will 

not increase, unless you report such SCO or STAX 

coverage change to us by the acreage reporting date. 

4. Report of Acreage

You are not required to file a separate report of acreage 

when you elect this Endorsement. However, should a loss 

trigger before you report acreage for the underlying policy, 

your claim will not be settled in accordance with Section 9 

until you submit your acreage report to us so we can 

determine your coverage under this Endorsement. The 

number of eligible acres of the insured crop under this 

Endorsement will be: 

(a) For the initial year the Endorsement is accepted: 

(1) If a loss is triggered for your county before you 

report your acreage for the underlying policy, the 

lesser of the following, as determined by us: 

(i) The number of acres specified on your 

intended acreage report submitted to us by 

the sales closing date of the underlying 

policy or the number of acres submitted 

within 10 days of the date you acquire such 

acreage; or 

(ii) The actual acres planted at the time of the 

occurrence of the triggering event and 

reported on the current crop year acreage 

report for the underlying policy; or 

(2) If a loss is not triggered for your county before you 

report your acreage for the underlying policy, the 

number of planted insurable acres specified on 

your current crop year acreage report filed and 

accepted by us for the underlying policy. 

(b) For any subsequent crop year: 

(1) If a loss is triggered for your county before you 

report your acreage for the underlying policy, the 

actual acres planted but limited to our 

determination of the lesser of: 

(i) The number of acres planted at the time of 

the occurrence of the triggering event and 

reported on the acreage report of the 

underlying policy you filed for the current 

crop year; or 

(ii) The highest number of planted insurable 

acres in any one of the immediate past four 

crop years. 

(2) If a loss is not triggered for your county before you 

report your acreage for the underlying policy, the 

number of planted insurable acres specified on 

the acreage report filed and accepted by us on or 

before the acreage reporting date for the 

underlying policy. 

(c) If an acreage report is not required for the underlying 

policy, use the crop’s equivalent of an acreage report. 

For example, a Plant Inventory Value Report (PIVR) 

is required for the Nursery Crop Provisions instead of 

an acreage report; therefore, a PIVR is used in the 

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same manner as an acreage report. 

5. Insurable Acreage, Inventory, and Unit Division

(a) All eligible planted acreage or inventory of the crop 

(including perennial or nursery crops and insurable 

trees) in the county that is insured by the underlying 

policy must be insured under this Endorsement when 

all acreage or inventory of the crop is required to be 

insured by the underlying crop policy. Any crop 

acreage or inventory that is not insured by the 

underlying crop policy is not covered by this 

Endorsement. This Endorsement will not insure 

prevented planting acreage. Any acreage planted in a 

planting period, as defined in the actuarial documents, 

after a qualifying event has triggered an indemnity 

payment for eligible acreage, will be insurable and 

eligible for an indemnity payment if a second 

qualifying event occurs. 

(b) In lieu of the provisions regarding units and unit 

division in the underlying policy, protection provided 

by this Endorsement will be based on all eligible 

planted acreage or inventory (including perennial or 

nursery crops and insurable trees) of the crop in the 

county insured by the underlying policy, regardless of 

whether such acreage or inventory is owned, rented 

for cash, or rented for a share of the crop, including 

acres on which you are insuring another person’s 

share of the crop. 

6. Hurricane Protection Amount 

(a) If there are multiple coverage levels, types, or 

practices for the insured crop in the county, your HPA 

will be determined separately for each coverage level, 

type, and practice and then summed for the crop. 

(b) To calculate your HPA for all eligible insured acres of 

the crop in the county with the same coverage level, 

type, practice, and SCO, STAX, or other 

endorsement: 

(1) Determine your hurricane coverage range; 

(2) Determine the expected crop value by dividing 

the underlying policy liability for the eligible acres 

with the same coverage level, type, and practice 

by the underlying policy coverage level, as 

applicable, and then again by the percentage of 

price election or percentage of projected price, as 

applicable, of the underlying policy. When SCO, 

STAX, or other endorsement coverage is in effect 

with the underlying policy, use only the liability 

and coverage level for the underlying policy, not 

the SCO, STAX, or other endorsement liability or 

coverage level. Any adjustment in liability on the 

underlying crop policy will apply; 

(3) Multiply your expected crop value by your 

hurricane coverage range; and 

(4) Multiply the result of (3) by the coverage 

percentage elected by you. This is your HPA. 

(c) If you have SCO with your underlying policy, your 

HPA will not increase on a crop, practice, type, and 

farm number if you have ARC on that farm number for 

that crop and you failed to report that such information 

on your acreage report. 

(d) If you have STAX with your underlying policy, your 

HPA will not increase on a crop, practice, type, and 

farm number if you have ARC or PLC on that farm 

number for cotton and you failed to report such 

information on your acreage report. 

(e) For underlying policies with the amount of insurance 

not based on insured acres, to calculate your HPA for 

all of the crops in the county with the same coverage 

level, type, and practice, insured by this 

Endorsement: 

(1) Determine your hurricane coverage range; 

(2) Divide the underlying policy liability by the 

underlying policy coverage level, as applicable, 

and then again by the percentage of price 

election or percentage of projected price, as 

applicable, of the underlying policy to determine 

the expected crop value; 

(3) Multiply your expected crop value by your 

hurricane coverage range; and 

(4) Multiply the result of (3) by the coverage 

percentage elected by you. 

(f) For crop policies where protection is provided by this 

Endorsement based on all eligible inventory, if you 

increase inventory values above what you reported on 

the original report (e.g., PIVR or Nursery Value 

Report) at any point during the crop year by 

submitting a revised report (e.g., Peak Inventory 

Value Report or revised PIVR) allowable by the 

underlying policy, the value of HIP-WI will not 

increase, but will remain consistent with the coverage 

established at the beginning of the insurance period 

according to the original report for each planting 

period, where applicable, for the underlying policy. 

7. Annual Premium and Administrative Fee 

(a) You will owe a separate annual premium and 

administrative fee for this Endorsement, in addition to 

any administrative fee owed for the underlying policy. 

Only one HIP-WI administrative fee per insured crop, 

per county is owed. 

(b) Premium for this Endorsement is calculated by 

multiplying your HPA determined from section 6 by 

the premium rate and any premium adjustment 

percentages that may apply. All information needed to 

calculate the premium rate is contained in the 

actuarial documents. 

(c) The administrative fee for this Endorsement is 

determined in accordance with the provisions in 

section 7(e) of the Basic Provisions. 

8. Causes of Loss 

(a) This Endorsement provides protection against 

widespread loss in the county, or adjacent county, 

due to sustained hurricane force winds. The county 

loss trigger will be determined from HDP and shown 

in the actuarial documents as determined by the 

Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC). 

(b) Individual farm yields and revenues are not 

considered under this Endorsement. It is possible that 

your individual farm may experience reduced revenue 

or reduced yield and you do not receive an indemnity 

under this Endorsement. 

(c) The notice provisions in section 14(b) of the Basic 

Provisions do not apply to this Endorsement. 

9. Settlement of Claim 

(a) An indemnity is due when the county loss trigger is 

identified for the insured county in the insurance 

period. Indemnities are calculated following the 

release by FCIC of any county that meets the county 

loss trigger. 

(b) The indemnity is equal to the HPA determined in 

section 6. 

(c) In lieu of the provisions in section 14(f)(1) of the Basic 

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Provisions, we will pay your loss under this 

Endorsement within 30 days after the later of: 

(1) The date FCIC releases the list of counties 

identified as meeting the county loss trigger; 

(2) The date you provide an acceptable acreage 

report; or 

(3) The conditions in Section 14(f)(2)-(4) of the Basic 

Provisions are met. 

(d) Hurricane wind extent data may be updated by 

NOAA. FCIC may add counties that were not included 

in the initial county release by FCIC of the counties 

that met the county loss trigger following release of 

updated NOAA wind extent data for the applicable 

crop year. Once counties are listed by FCIC, they will 

not be removed even if later data indicates they did 

not meet the county loss trigger. 

10. [Reserved] 

11. Written Agreements

(a) This Endorsement is available only when authorized 

by the actuarial documents for the crop, type, and 

practice in the county and cannot be made available 

through a Written Agreement. 

(b) This Endorsement is applicable when available on the 

actuarial documents when a Written Agreement 

applies to the underlying policy. 

12. Examples

The following are examples of the calculation of the HPA 

and HIP-WI indemnity for the plans of insurance that may 

be selected for the underlying policy. Your information will 

likely be different, and you should consult the actuarial 

documents in your county and the policy information. The 

following examples are for illustration purposes only. 

Producer A farms 100 acres of corn in county X and has 

an approved yield of 154.6 bushels per acre, with a 100 

percent share. The projected price is $4.00, as published 

in the actuarial documents for county X. The producer 

elects a HIP-WI coverage percentage of 0.90. (This 

information, with some changing variables, applies to the 

following examples.) 

Example for underlying policy with CAT coverage and 

HIP-WI election: 

Resulting liability for the underlying policy is $17,006 

Hurricane Protection Amount calculation: 

Step 1: Calculate hurricane coverage range. 

Formula: 95 percent minus the maximum coverage 

level from the underlying policy 

0.95 - 0.50 = 0.45 hurricane coverage range 

Step 2: Calculate the expected crop value of the 

underlying policy. 

Formula: Divide the liability of the underlying policy by 

the coverage level of the underlying policy, and then 

by the percentage of price election or percentage of 

projected price, as applicable to determine the 

expected crop value 

$17,006 ÷ 0. 50 ÷ 0. 55 = $61,840 expected crop 

value. 

Step 3: Calculate HPA. 

Multiply the expected crop value by the hurricane 

coverage range and the coverage percentage you 

elected under this Endorsement. 

$61,840 x 0.45 x 0.90 = $25,045 HPA. 

If FCIC determines the county meets the county loss 

trigger, the indemnity payment would be $25,045. 

Example for underlying policy with 70 percent coverage, 

100 percent of price, and HIP-WI election: 

Resulting liability for the underlying policy is $43,288. 

Hurricane Protection Amount calculation: 

Step 1: Calculate hurricane coverage range. 

Formula: 95 percent minus the maximum coverage 

level from the underlying policy. 

0.95 - 0.70 = 0.25 hurricane coverage range 

Step 2: Calculate the expected crop value of the 

underlying policy. 

Formula: Divide the liability of the underlying policy by 

the coverage level of the underlying policy, and then 

by the percentage of price election or percentage of 

projected price, as applicable of the underlying policy 

to determine the expected crop value. 

$43,288 ÷ 0.70 ÷ 1 = $61,840 expected crop value. 

Step 3: Calculate the HPA. 

Formula: Multiply the expected crop value of the 

underlying policy by the hurricane coverage range 

and the coverage percentage you elected under this 

Endorsement. 

$61,840 x 0.25 x 0.90 = $13,914 HPA. 

If FCIC determines the county meets the county loss 

trigger, the indemnity payment would be $13,914. 

Example for SCO election: 

Hurricane Protection Amount calculation: 

Step 1: Calculate hurricane coverage range. 

Formula: 95 percent minus the higher of the coverage 

level from the underlying policy (70 percent) or the 

upper end of the SCO coverage range (86 percent). 

0.95 - 0.86 = 0.09 hurricane coverage range 

Step 2: Calculate the expected crop value of the 

underlying policy. 

Formula: Divide the liability of the underlying policy by 

the coverage level of the underlying policy, and then 

by the percentage of price election or percentage of 

projected price, as applicable of the underlying policy 

to determine the expected crop value. 

$43,288 ÷ 0.70 ÷ 1.00 = $61,840 expected crop value 

of the underlying policy. 

Step 3: Calculate the HPA. 

Formula: Multiply expected crop value of the 

underlying policy by the hurricane coverage range 

and the coverage percentage you elected under this 

Endorsement. 

$61,840 x 0.09 x .90 = $5,009 HPA. 

If FCIC determines the county meets the county loss 

trigger, the indemnity payment would be $5,009. 

Example for STAX election: 

The STAX coverage band ranges from 75 percent to 

90 percent. 

Hurricane Protection Amount calculation: 

Step 1: Calculate hurricane coverage range. 

Formula: 95 percent minus the higher of the coverage 

level from the underlying policy (70 percent) or the 

upper end of the STAX coverage range (90 percent). 

0.95 - 0.90 = 0.05 hurricane coverage range. 

Step 2: Calculate the expected crop value of the 

underlying policy. 

Formula: Divide the liability of the underlying policy by 

the coverage level of the underlying policy, and then 

by the percent of price election or percentage of 

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projected price, as applicable of the underlying policy 

to determine the expected crop value. 

$43,288 ÷ 0.70 ÷ 1.00 = $61,840 expected crop value 

of the underlying policy with STAX. 

Step 3: Calculate the HPA. 

Formula: Multiply expected crop value of the 

underlying policy by the hurricane coverage range 

and the coverage percentage. 

$61,840 x 0.05 x 0.90 = $2,783 HPA. 

If FCIC determines the county meets the county loss 

trigger, the indemnity payment would be $2,783. 

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