On Wednesday, a subcommittee of the House of Representatives approved amendments that could help revitalize the stagnant National Flood Insurance Program. The program is currently in a state of bankruptcy, having been unable to procure any additional funding from the government. It will continue to operate until September 30, when funding will run out completely. The legislation, which was passed by a voice vote, seeks to revamp the program to make it more financially sound and provide federal agencies such as FEMA more flexibility in their operations. “In the near…
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Australia: Property insurance risk are being recalculated
The flooding that struck Australia’s Queensland some months back was expected to have severe ramifications on the insurance industry. Now, officials are reporting that rates for homeowners are going to be raised by as much as 30%. Queensland residents have been receiving renewal notices for their policies’ premiums will be increasing. Many of these policyholders own property that survived the flooding without any damage, leading them to question the rate increase. Insurers claim a myriad of reasons behind the rate increase. While the flooding is a prominent factor, they assert…
Read MoreHomeowners in the Lone Star State may want to reconsider flood insurance
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is saying that Texas residents are not prepared for flooding in the state. According to federal officials, only 8% of Texans have flood insurance and, given the frequency of recent catastrophic events, that is not good enough. Most insurance policies do not cover flooding and homeowners will have to go through a third party to obtain appropriate coverage. “The most alarming thing we have found is the lack of people who have flood insurance,” says Philip Beasly, FEMA’s director of external affairs. FEMA is…
Read MoreA spring cleaning of America’s flood insurance program
With spring now insight, it’s time to prepare for nasty weather. Depending on what part of the nation you live in, that could mean tornados and hail, or spring rains and flooding. This is a good time to examine your homeowner’s policy for any needed updates that may need to be made. Last year we had amazing weather activity. In the United States, we saw abundant rainfall; with many states receiving record amounts and other states getting well over normal. Snow and bitter cold temperatures set seasonal records, and numerous…
Read MoreMajor flood risk areas in U.S.
U.S. and state officials from the Midwest are making preparations for possible floods that might happen during the spring along identified areas particularly those that are near the Red Rive and Mississippi River. These are the areas that are of the greatest risks for encountering the floods. The areas that are affected during the floods are among the top crop producers of the country. The states of Illinois and Iowa are leading exporters of corn and soybeans, while Minnesota and North Dakota are top producers of spring wheat and durum.…
Read MoreFlood map errors costing consumers thousands!
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, also known as FEMA, is in charge of mapping out areas for high risk flood zones, but are some of these maps wrong? Banks require flood insurance on homes in these flood zones and many are paying steep prices for what could be old information or even human error! These maps are used to determine insurance rates and with the wrong information premiums can go (on average) from $300 a year to $3500, depending on your area and loan requirements. With no warning you have…
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