(a) Insurance shall be offered under the provisions of this section on the insured crop in counties within the limits prescribed by and in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Crop Insurance Act, as amended (the Act). The crops and counties shall be designated by the Manager of the Corporation from those approved by the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

(b) The insurance is offered through companies reinsured by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) that offer contracts containing the same terms and conditions as the contract set out in this part. These contracts are clearly identified as being reinsured by FCIC. FCIC may offer the contract for the catastrophic level of coverage contained in this part and part 402 directly to the insured through local offices of the Department of Agriculture only if the Secretary determines that the availability of local agents is not adequate. Those contracts are specifically identified as being offered by FCIC.

(c) Except as specified in the Crop Provisions, the Catastrophic Risk Protection Endorsement (part 402 of this chapter) and part 400, subpart T of this chapter, no person may have in force more than one contract on the same crop for the same crop year in the same county.

(d) Except as specified in paragraph (c) of this section, if a person has more than one contract authorized under the Act that provides coverage for the same loss on the same crop for the same crop year in the same county, all such contracts shall be voided for that crop year and the person will be liable for the premium on all contracts, unless the person can show to the satisfaction of the Corporation that the multiple contracts of insurance were without the fault of the person.

(1) If the multiple contracts of insurance are shown to be without the fault of the person and:

(i) One contract is an additional coverage policy and the other contract is a Catastrophic Risk Protection policy, the additional coverage policy will apply if both policies are with the same insurance provider, or if not, both insurance providers agree, and the Catastrophic Risk Protection policy will be canceled (If the insurance providers do not agree, the policy with the earliest date of application will be in force and the other contract will be canceled); or

(ii) Both contracts are additional coverage policies or both are Catastrophic Risk Protection policies, the contract with the earliest signature date on the application will be valid and the other contract on that crop in the county for that crop year will be canceled, unless both policies are with the same insurance provider and the insurance provider agrees otherwise or both policies are with different insurance providers and both insurance providers agree otherwise.

(2) No liability for any indemnity, prevented planting payment, replanting payment or premium will attach to the contracts canceled as specified in paragraphs (d)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section.

(e) The person must repay all amounts received in violation of this section with interest at the rate contained in the contract (see §457.8, paragraph 24).

(f) An insured whose contract with the Corporation or with a company reinsured by the Corporation under the Act has been terminated because of violation of the terms of the contract is not eligible to obtain multiple peril crop insurance under the Act with the Corporation or with a company reinsured by the Corporation unless the insured can show that the default in the prior contract was cured prior to the sales closing date of the contract applied for or unless the insured can show that the termination was improper and should not result in subsequent ineligibility.

(g) All applicants for insurance under the Act must advise the agent, in writing, at the time of application, of any previous applications for insurance or policies of insurance under the Act and the present status of any such applications or insurance.

[56 FR 1351, Jan. 14, 1991, as amended at 58 FR 58262, Nov. 1, 1993; 62 FR 65154, Dec. 10, 1997; 63 FR 66712, Dec. 3, 1998; 69 FR 48738, Aug. 10, 2004]