Functional Responsibility:
The Alberta Hail and Crop Insurance Corporation was established to administer two separate insurance programs under the Hail and Crop Insurance Act. The first was the Hail Insurance Program, which offered farmers protection against crop loss caused by the single hazard of hail. This was followed by the Crop Insurance Program, referred to as "all-risk," that provided protection against major crop losses resulting from all natural hazards. In 1981, this program became known as the Canada-Alberta Crop Insurance Program. The Revenue Protection Program was added in 1991. At this time, the corporation began administering the Wildlife Damage Compensation Program for the Department of Forestry, Lands, and Wildlife and, when required, assisted in administering other special assistance programs.

Predecessor and Successor Bodies:
The hail program was established in 1938 by the Alberta Hail Insurance Board. The Alberta Crop Insurance Corporation started all-risk crop insurance in 1965. Each operated independently until 1969, when the two organizations were merged to become the Alberta Hail and Crop Insurance Corporation, with a common board of directors and staff. In 1994, the Alberta Agricultural Development Corporation merged with the Alberta Hail and Crop Insurance Corporation, and under new legislation formed the Agriculture Financial Services Corporation.

Administrative Relationships:
The corporation was directly responsible to the government of Alberta through the Minister of Agriculture. The chair of the board of directors for the Alberta Hail and Crop Insurance Corporation reported to the minister, who in turn reported to the Legislative Assembly. The corporation reported to the Associate Minister of Agriculture from 1986.

Administrative Structure:
The affairs of the corporation were conducted by a board of directors consisting of five persons appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council. Amendments to the enabling legislation increased the number of persons on the board to eight.

The enabling legislation stated that the corporation was to maintain accounts and records in such a manner that all income, expenditure, and equity relating to hail insurance and to crop insurance could be accurately determined. The need for the two programs to be operated separately was because hail insurance was self-sustaining and received no government subsidies, whereas the provincial and federal governments paid all administrative costs of the crop insurance programs. In order to comply with the legislation, the programs operated independently of each other, although common staff carried out the administrative functions.

The province was divided into seven regions for administrative purposes. The same adjusters dealt with both hail and crop insurance, with claims and adjusting being coordinated at the district office level. District offices, at which crop insurance was sold, served farmers. A network of commissioned agents sold hail insurance. Under the provincial government's decentralization plan, the head office of the Alberta Hail and Crop Insurance Corporation was moved from Calgary to Lacombe in April 1978.

Names of Chief Officers:
Chairs of the Alberta Hail and Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors:
James Munroe McKay (1969-1973)
Gordon R. Sterling (1973-1981)
James P. Christie (1981-1985)
Peter Trynchy (1985-1989)
Jim W. Daines (1989-1990)
J. Harold Hanna (1990-1992)
Harold Thornton (1993-1994)