Drought-hit maize farmer denied insurance payout under rainfall index

A farmer in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm says his drought-damaged maize is not covered by his harvest insurance because local rainfall readings did not meet the policy’s threshold, BR reports. Michael Weichselbaumer says 35 of his 55 hectares of organic grain maize have suffered severe damage.

Weichselbaumer’s multi-risk policy includes drought cover, but the payout is determined by a rainfall index rather than the damage visible in the field. The threshold for his damaged crop was 198 litres of precipitation, while the relevant weather station recorded 205 litres. The insurer therefore did not recognise a drought loss.

Markus Maier of Versicherungskammer Bayern said drought damage is difficult to assess in the same way as hail, storms or heavy rain. Those events have direct effects on plants, while a lack of rainfall causes harm gradually, without a specific external sign that can be tied to one event.

The insurer uses measurements from German Weather Service stations. Bavaria has about 15,000 stations, or roughly one for every 50 square kilometres, Maier said. That can produce discrepancies between nearby fields: Weichselbaumer says a second maize field about three kilometres away recorded 194 litres, meeting the index threshold, even though its crop was healthy and he had no damage to report.

Maier said drought cover was one of the biggest challenges for multi-risk insurance. He added that the widespread crop losses in 2026 were pushing the system to the limits of what could be insured.

Andreas Weiß, a professor at Coburg University of Applied Sciences who researches natural hazard damage, questioned whether drought losses could still be considered unpredictable risks or had become regular events. He said support for farmers adapting to changing conditions might need to be considered.

Weichselbaumer pays nearly 140 euros per hectare for the policy, including about 70 euros for drought cover. The state covers 50 per cent of eligible insurance costs, but the remaining expense is still substantial for his 300 hectares. He said he was angry that he would receive no compensation for the damaged maize.