With the official start of spring, while many homeowners are seeing that the dry conditions over the winter have reduced the risk of flooding, the Insurance Information Institute is reminding them that throughout the springtime, the flooding risk still remains high due to hurricanes, heavy rains, and other types of catastrophes. Homeowners, home renters, and business owners should all consider purchasing a policy that will protect them from flood, or renewing one that they have already had, to ensure that there isn’t a gap in their coverage. In the United…
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Reinsurance companies face tremendous losses
Last year, the reinsurance sector was battered down by huge losses resulting from natural disasters. The disasters that lead to the enormous insured losses included the earthquakes in New Zealand, the flooding in Thailand and Australia, and the tsunami following the earthquake in Japan. These were all top events discussed in the most recent survey results from the Reinsurance Association of America. Catastrophe losses considered, the combined ratios for most reinsurers within the group were reported to have fallen. According to the executive director covering property and casualty insurance at…
Read MoreWith National Flood Safety Awareness Week Kicking Off, SmarterSafer.org Urges Congress to Pass Long-Term Extension of Flood Insurance Program
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…
Read MoreMississippi could lose its access to flood insurance because of state law
Residents of Mississippi are in danger of losing their flood insurance if state legislators do not take action on a particular law. The state was put on notice by the Federal Emergency Management Agency late last week because one of the state’s laws makes hunting and fishing camps exempt from the building codes that govern the flood prone areas of the state. FEMA claims that if the issue is not resolved by May 5th, those receiving coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program will see their policies canceled. According to…
Read MoreMaine 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 MoreArmy Corps of Engineers warns that last year’s floods could spur yet more damage along the Mississippi River this year
Last year’s record breaking floods along the Mississippi River could put a significant amount of people in danger of similar events this year, according to the Army Corps of Engineers. The events of last year have dealt a significant amount of damage to protective structures that block floods, such as levees and overflow channels. The communities that were affected by these events last year will be notified of the Army Corps of Engineers concerns in February. The Corps has identified several places where floods could be a major problem this…
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…
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