Which of the following is NOT a cause of loss covered by crop insurance?

The correct answer, indicating that success in increasing crop value is not a cause of loss covered by crop insurance, is crucial to understanding what crop insurance is designed to protect against. Crop insurance policies are meant to safeguard farmers from potential financial losses due to unforeseen adverse conditions that can negatively impact their yield or revenue.

Natural disasters, such as floods, are included as covered causes of loss, reflecting the insurance's role in protecting against events beyond the farmer’s control. Likewise, failures in irrigation equipment can directly affect crop yields, making this a concern that insurance covers.

On the other hand, mismanagement of a crop, such as neglecting proper agricultural practices or decisions that lead to poor crop health, falls outside the protection of crop insurance. Insurance is not intended to cover losses that result from decision-making failures or operational mishaps.

In contrast, the successful increase in crop value does not represent a loss at all; instead, it signifies a favorable outcome for the farmer. Since crop insurance is focused on mitigating losses rather than rewarding increases in value, it is not relevant to the scope of what the insurance is designed to cover.

Thus, recognizing that enhanced crop value is not a loss underlines the nature of insurance protection in agriculture.