농작물재해보험의 성과와 정책과제

Abstract

올해로 농작물재해보험이 도입된 지 10년째이다. 시작할 때만 해도 제대로 정착할 수 있을지에 대해 걱정이 많았으나, 2010년 현재 25개 품목으로 확대되었다. 이 중 18개 품목은 시범사업이기는 하지만, 선행 국가들에서도 찾아보기 어려운 성과라고 할 수 있다. 2001~2009년 동안 5만여 재해 농가가 받은 보험금은 나름대로 경영 안정에 보탬이 되었다. 보험금이 없었다면 폐농의 위기를 벗어나기 어려웠을 농가도 적지 않았다. 농작물재해보험이 농업경영의 위험관리 수단으로 기능하고 있음을 짐작할 수 있다. 그러나 10년이 경과하는 동안 해결해야 할 과제도 노출되고 있다. 사과와 배 이외의 품목들은 보험 가입률이 저조하다. 농업인들은 보다 다양한 재해를 보험대상에 포함할 것을 요구하며, 품목 확대에 대한 요구도 계속되고 있다. 이는 최근 이상기상이 빈발하면서 더욱 그러하다.

이 연구는 농작물재해보험 실시 10년의 성과를 살펴보고, 농업경영상의 위험관리 수단으로 정착·발전시키기 위하여 해결해야 할 당면과제를 제시하였다. 그동안의 농작물재해보험 실시 경험을 바탕으로 하되, 우리나라에서 처음으로 9년간의 방대한 보험실적자료를 분석함으로써 과제를 도출하였다. 제시된 과제는 실적자료 분석 결과를 토대로 하였기 때문에 해결해야 할 여러 가지 과제 중의 일부라고 생각된다. 농작물재해보험 전반을 다루기 위해서는 보다 다양한 측면에서 연구·검토될 필요가 있으며, 이 연구는 이러한 시도의 출발점이라고 할 수 있다.

This study aims to investigate the performance and problems of crop insurance and to suggest the tasks in order to stabilize and expand the crop insurance as a farming stabilization policy system. We used several methods for this study such as literature review, the survey for other countries' experience, the analysis of statistical data, and interviews of farmers. This study is differentiated from previous studies in terms of actual data used. They are collected 2001 crop year to 2009 crop year. Crop insurance was started at 2001 for apple and pear in Korea. After that time, various crops were included. Twenty five crops, nationwide or particular areas, are insured in 2010. Korean government has a schedule to extend over 30 crops after 2011. The insured were 8,055 in 2001 and have significantly increased to 32,966 in 2009. But most of farmers insured were apple and pear growers. The coverage options are 70% or 80%. Most farmers select 80%. It turns out that farmers prefer wider coverage although the burden of premium that they have to pay was heavier. There is statistically significant difference in the results of loss assessment between agencies. It is necessary to adopt several measures for proper assessment. The premium rates(standard rate) are calculated by the basis of each county level. Based on the historical record of losses, individual premium rate are decided to add or discount extra rates. With a relation between premium rate and loss ratio, the grape farmers with high risk bought crop insurance, but the grape farmers with low risk didn't buy crop insurance. So, the premium rates for grape seemed to increase continuously. During nine years, about 52 thousand farmers had received 297.2 billion won. We analyse the effect of crop insurance in stabilizing farm management. The result shows that crop insurance has contributed to the stabilization of farm management because the maximum variation of the insured farmers' revenue is 606 thousand won per 10a comparing to one of non-insured farmers', 806 thousand won. Also, it is true that there are adverse selection and moral hazard. The result of interview describes that farmers request the extension and diversification of insuring natural disasters. USA, Japan and Canada have been implementing agricultural insurance during about 70 years. They have provided various crops and programs and researched many alternatives in order to help the farm stabilization. Nowadays, they tend to expand revenue assurance programs concerning the farm level stabilization rather than the individual crop. The introduction of the crop insurance system affects korean agricultural policy. But there exist many problems because crop insurance has expanded in too short period. Accordingly, there are several tasks enabling crop insurance to become a useful tool for farm management. First, The government and NACF have to provide the extension service on crop insurance for farmers continuously. Second, more natural disasters must be insured. Third, it is important to make an effort to improve proper loss assessment. Forth, it is useful that farmers are forced to insure all the acreage for the same crops in order to increase the effect of risk allocation and reduce moral hazard problem. Fifth, the redundant program should be eliminated in farm stabilization policy. Sixth, it needs to review the feasibility of revenue assurance alternatives. Seventh, more research related to crop insurance is helpful.

Researchers: Kyeong-Hwan Choi, Gwang-seok Chae, Byeong-Seok Yoon Research Period: 2010. 1 ~ 2010. 10. E-mail Address: kyeong@krei.re.kr; gschae@krei.re.kr; dd329@krei.re.kr