Florida Citrus Mutual recently answered questions growers might have about reporting damage from Hurricane Ian:
Q: I have crop and tree damage from the hurricane, whom should I call to report damage?
A: Insurance: If you have crop insurance for either tree or fruit coverage, you must notify your agent that you are reporting a claim.
Federal assistance: All growers should also notify the Farm Service Agency (FSA) office that serves their county that they wish to report damage.
Notify both your insurance agent and FSA as soon as possible.
Q: What should I do with the dropped fruit and fallen trees?
A: You should not do any work on your grove until an insurance adjuster has had time to see and calculate the damage. For example, the fruit insurance program requires that the fruit on the ground be counted to be able to calculate loss. Similarly, the tree insurance program requires an adjuster to walk the grove to determine the percent of damage.
Q: Will adjusters assist me with my claims?
A: Yes. The insurance adjusters and agents are well versed in the programs and part of the service they provide is to assist with claim filing.
Q: How long will it take the adjuster to visit my grove?
A: We have reports that adjusters are already making field visits, so we expect the service you receive to be provided as quickly as possible. However, please keep in mind the extent of damage across the state and be patient.
Q: Will there be disaster assistance available?
A: Mutual has already begun discussions with state and federal officials to determine the types of assistance that may be able to be provided. Mutual will share information about the progress of assistance via its newsletter (The Triangle) and website.
Q: Do I need to file paperwork?
A: In anticipation of some form of disaster assistance, growers should notify the county FSA that they have been damaged by the storm and complete any paperwork the FSA recommends.
Florida Citrus Mutual also asks all growers to complete the association’s damage assessment survey as soon as possible to assist in calculating the industry-wide impact of Hurricane Ian.
Source: Florida Citrus Mutual
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