With National Flood Safety Awareness Week kicking off, SmarterSafer.org is urging Congress to pass meaningful flood insurance reform and provide a long-term extension of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). In a letter being sent to Congress today, the group said reform is necessary to protect homeowners and businesses. “March 12-16 has been designated as National Flood Safety Awareness Week, however, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has yet to be extended and is set to expire at the end of May,” said SmarterSafer.org. “The NFIP must be reformed and…
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Maine insurance regulators urging consumers to purchase flood insurance before the stormy season begins
The Maine Floodplain Management Program, a state-run initiative that works in tandem with the National Flood Insurance Program, is urging state residents to purchase flood insurance before the stormy season gains momentum. According to state regulators, floods in Maine are often the result of coastal storms that happen near the beginning of spring and during the hurricane season later in the year. Regulators note that while flood insurance is often very affordable, few consumers have policies because they do not think that such disasters will happen to them. March and…
Read MoreU.S. Senators team to petition for action on troubled National Flood Insurance Program
The problems facing the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) remain unresolved and its latest expiration date – May 31 – is quickly approaching. Forty-one Senators have come together to petition for action to be taken on the ailing federal program that provides affordable insurance coverage to thousands of homeowners. The Senators are backing a legislation that would extend the program’s lifetime for another 5 years and begin the arduous reformation process. They assert that action must be taken swiftly in order to prevent lapses in coverage during seasons of heavy…
Read MoreFEMA tours North Dakota to promote flood insurance awareness
Flood insurance continues to be a major issue for consumers and insurers alike. The outlook for the National Flood Insurance Program is bleak as federal legislators continue, without success, to fix the debt-riddled program. In an effort to raise awareness of the issue, FEMA, along with officials from the federal government, has embarked on a tour through one of the states most at risk of flooding events: North Dakota. The tour began in North Dakota on January 23 and will come to an end on January 26. During the first…
Read MoreSome Lafayette parish residents will see a lower flood insurance rate
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has announced that some of the residents of Lafayette Parish and its incorporated parts will see a drop in their flood insurance premiums by up to 10 percent. The reason for the savings is that the Lafayette Consolidated Government is now taking an active role in the Community Rating System for the National Flood Insurance Program. This means that business and homeowners, as well as renters in Lafayette city and the unincorporated areas of Lafayette Parish may qualify for a decrease of between five and…
Read MoreSmarterSafer.org Statement Urges Congress to Pass Permanent NFIP Reform as Hurricane
(Washington, DC) ‒ SmarterSafer.org today released a statement urging Congress to pass long-term, common-sense NFIP reform at the end of the 2011 Hurricane Season: “The 2011 hurricane season has come to an end, yet there are those who are still struggling from the aftermath of Hurricane Irene. Communities across the United States have seen firsthand the need for a National Flood Insurance Program that protects lives and property while saving taxpayer dollars. The U.S. Congress has had several opportunities to pass permanent NFIP reform that has support in both the…
Read MoreFEMA to update flood maps for Florida by 2012 hurricane season
FEMA has begun updated its flood maps for the state of Florida and the new maps will be put into effect before the 2012 hurricane season. The maps determine what properties are at risk of flooding in the event of a natural disaster or severe storm. Insurers rely on these maps and the risk they place on certain regions to price insurance coverage. Typically, areas that are classified as high risk are required to have some form of flood insurance protection. Collier County will have the most drastic change next…
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