Two legislators are looking to reverse federal flood-insurance mandates requiring property owners in areas protected by flood-control structures to have flood insurance. Senators Thad Cochran of Mississippi and Mark Pryor of Arkansas say that the mandate presents an undue financial burden to those living in areas that are not prone to floods due to the protective measures taken against such a happening. The legislation in question is part of the National Flood Insurance Program, which itself is the subject of much debate in Congress due to its financial instability. The…
Read MoreTag: national flood insurance program
Understanding how flood insurance protects your home and belongings
Flood insurance is a form of protection that provides coverage for a home and the possessions it contains, in case they should ever be damaged or lost as a result of water rising from an outside source. Though standard homeowners insurance will usually protect against flooding due to a broken pipe, for example, it would not cover damage from water that flowed into the home from a rising river, creek or even rain. While many homes are not located within areas that are recognized as having a high flood risk, those…
Read MoreCongress approves short-term National Flood Insurance Program fix
In Washington D.C., Congress has given the nod to an extension of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), to maintain it until November 18, 2011, after having failed to pass a reforming bill for the program. It is hoped that this extension will provide enough time for a reported deal to close, which is supported by both parties. What this means to homeowners in any of the 20,000 communities that take part in the NFIP, is that if you will be purchasing a home or if you are attempting to…
Read MoreFEMA loosens insurance requirements for Calaveras County amidst community outcry
FEMA has been on the receiving end of harsh criticism lately for decision the agency made in the wake of recent storms that tore through Southern U.S. The agency issued a sleuth of new rules regarding insurance coverage for areas that may or may not be in danger of flooding. Some of the regions included in FEMA’s flood insurance mandate have not actually seen high waters in decades; such is the case in Calaveras County, California. Hundreds of homeowners and businesses have been affected by the mandate and claim that…
Read MoreSmarterSafer.org Statement Urges Congress to Stop Passing Temporary Extensions of
(Washington, DC) ‒ SmarterSafer.org today released a statement urging Congress to pass common sense NFIP reform and to stop temporarily extending the flood insurance program: “This year, the United States has seen numerous disasters, including record flooding along the Mississippi River and massive flooding in the Northeast as a result of Hurricane Irene. While Congress delays taking action to improve the NFIP, the American people are left without broadly supported reforms that will better protect their lives and property, save taxpayer dollars, and promote public safety. Five-day fixes and delays…
Read MoreInsurance industry infighting may delay Congressional action on National Flood Insurance Program
A fight amongst lobbying groups could put a hold on Congress’ decision regarding the ailing National Flood Insurance Program. The program, which provides millions with access to affordable flood insurance, has been wracked with crippling debt for several years and has finally run out of money and reached a point where it could no longer be sustained. Last month, lawmakers allotted more money to the program in an effort to ensure its survival for another five years, but the plan failed when confronted by the program’s enormous debt. Lawmakers were…
Read MoreGrants from FEMA may help to fill insurance gaps
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and disaster officials are continuing to request that people who have been affected by the results of Hurricane Irene to contact FEMA and register with them, even if they are already receiving payments from their insurance companies to help cover the damages. The issue that is concerning disaster and recovery officials right now is that many people are under the impression that the money they receive from their insurance companies is all that is available to them in terms of recovery aid when this…
Read More