National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) News

Pennsylvania Property Owners Encouraged to Purchase Flood Insurance

Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Jessica Altman is urging property owners to consider purchasing flood insurance to protect their homes, businesses and possessions. For many Pennsylvanians, extreme weather, including flooding caused by hurricanes and severe thunderstorms, can be a common occurrence throughout …

New Federal Flood Insurance Rating Plan to Start Oct. 1

Hundreds of thousands of Americans will pay significantly more to insure their homes in coastal areas and flood zones under new rules released on Thursday by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the first major update to its pricing system …

FEMA Knows About Trying to Build Back Better Infrastructure

Lawmakers in Washington are gearing up for the Biden administration’s first major legislative challenge: a set of measures on long-term economic priorities, including infrastructure and jobs, expected to cost roughly $3 trillion. Key to President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better …

FEMA: 87% of Federal Flood Claims from Hurricane Laura Closed in Louisiana

The majority of National Flood Insurance Program claims in Louisiana stemming from Hurricane Laura, which hit the state in August 2020, have been closed. FEMA says the NFIP has closed 87% of the 1,227 claims submitted and paid more than …

FEMA Buys More Flood Reinsurance; Decision Near on Insurance Rate Change Plan

The federal government has bought additional reinsurance to cover losses of the National Flood Insurance Program. On Feb. 23, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which administers the flood insurance program, entered into the agency’s fourth, three-year reinsurance agreement with …

Many States Lack Flood Risk Disclosure Laws for Homebuyers

Homebuyers in nearly half of the states including hurricane-prone Florida can be left in the dark about the flood risks to their new house. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) ) has released an updated scorecard that shows which states …

Federal Flood Insurance Premiums Far From Keeping Up With Expected Losses

If the nearly 4.3 million residential homes (1-4 units) across the country with substantial flood risk were to be insured through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), the NFIP rates would need to increase 4.5 times to cover the risk …

Over $115M in Federal Flood Insurance Paid in Louisiana for 2020 Hurricanes

As of Feb. 1, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has paid out more than $115 million in flood claims in Louisiana in response to the 2020 hurricane season. That figure is up from the $110 million in NFIP payments …

Keeping Up with Changes in Florida’s Growing Private Flood Market

Flooding is America’s number one natural disaster and as the highest “at risk” state in the country, Florida is the epicenter for all things flood insurance. Since 1968, when procuring flood insurance, agents and homeowners have had virtually one option: …

Viewpoint: How the Northeastern U.S. Private Flood Market Can Close the Coverage Gap

The northeastern U.S. is one of the key areas of the country at risk for flooding, as evidenced by the billions in losses from Superstorm Sandy, which saw more than $8.1 billion in 144,000 NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program) claims. …