Courtesy of iii.org Floods occur in every region and 90 percent of all natural disasters the United States involve some type of flooding. Minimize the damage and losses from a flood by taking these precautions. Understand flood watches and flood warnings There are different alerts for floods, depending on the type of and immediacy of the potential danger. Educate your family and yourself about your community's flood warnings: Flood watches are issued when rain is heavy enough to cause rivers to overflow. Flood warnings describe the severity of the situation and indicate when and where the flood will begin. Flash flood watches are issued when heavy rain is occurring or is expected to occur. Flash flood warnings are issued when flooding is occurring suddenly. In the event of flash flooding in your area, move immediately to high ground. Take practical measures to protect yourself, your family and your property Preparedness is paramount when it …
Flood Insurance
More Updates on Flood Insurance
Courtesy of iii.org National Flood Insurance Reform In 2012 the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act was passed in an attempt to make the federal flood insurance program more financially self-sufficient by eliminating rate subsidies that many property owners in high-risk areas receive. But in March 2014 Congress rescinded many of the rate increases called for by the Biggert-Waters Act. The new law reduced some rate increases already implemented, prevented some future increases and put a surcharge on all policyholders. The measure also authorized funds for the National Academy of Sciences to complete an affordability study. The 2014 law prevents any policyholder from seeing an annual rate increase exceeding 18 percent. It calls on the flood program’s administrator, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to “strive” to prevent coverage from costing more than 1 percent of the amount covered. In other words, if the policy offered $100,000 of coverage, the …
Spotlight on Flood Insurance
Courtesy of iii.org Flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster in the United States, causing billions in economic losses each year. According to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), 90 percent of all natural disasters in the United States involve flooding. There is no coverage for flooding in standard homeowners or renters policies or in most commercial property insurance policies. Coverage is available in a separate policy from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and from a few private insurers. Recent developments NFIP reauthorization: Congress must periodically renew the NFIP’s statutory authority to operate. Congress must reauthorize the NFIP by no later than November 30, 2018. In the unlikely event the NFIP’s authorization lapses, claims would still be paid but the NFIP would stop selling and renewing policies (more details here.) Hurricane Harvey: Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas as a Category 4 storm on August 25, 2017 and then …