Payouts on crop damage claims reached just HUF 10 bln by the same time last year, and HUF 8 bln of that was for hail damage, Mabisz said.

Insurers expect to pay a further HUF 1.2 bln for drought damage claims this year.

Mabisz said insurers reallocated staff resources to accelerate the processing of the drought claims and hired contracted claims adjusters.

It noted that insurers' revenue from premiums on farm policies came to HUF 22 bln last year.

Farmers have around 9,600 policies covering drought damage on some 683,000 hectares.