The National Flood Insurance Program aims to reduce the impact of flooding on private and public structures. It does so by providing affordable insurance to property owners, renters and businesses and by encouraging communities to adopt and enforce floodplain management regulations. These efforts help mitigate the effects of flooding on new and improved structures. Overall, the program reduces the socio-economic impact of disasters by promoting the purchase and retention of general risk insurance, but also of flood insurance, specifically.
5 Reason Why You Need a Flood Insurance Policy
- Floods are the #1 natural disaster in the US.
- In the past 5 years, all 50 states have experienced floods.
- EVERYONE lives in a flood zone.
- Homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage.
- Just a few inches of water from a flood can cause tens of thousands of dollars in damage.
FEMA FLOOD FACTS:
According to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), floods are the nation’s most common and costly natural disaster and cause millions of dollars in damage every year.
FACT: Flood insurance can pay regardless of whether or not there is a Presidential Disaster Declaration.
FACT: Most federal disaster assistance comes in the form of low-interest disaster loans from U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and you have to pay them back. FEMA offers disaster grants that don't need to be paid back, but this amount is often much less than what is needed to recover. A claim against your flood insurance policy could and often does, provide more funds for recovery than those you could qualify for from FEMA or the SBA--and you don't have to pay it back.
FACT: You may be required to have flood insurance. Congress has mandated federally regulated or insured lenders to require flood insurance on mortgaged properties that are located in areas at high risk of flooding. But even if your property is not in a high risk flood area, your mortgage lender may still require you to have flood insurance.
Flood insurance helps more: Check out your state's flood history with FEMA's interactive data visualization tool. Roll your cursor over each county to see how many flooding events have happened. The tool allows you to compare how much FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration have provided in terms of federal disaster aid after Presidential Disaster Declarations to the amount the National Flood Insurance program has paid to its policyholders.
It's easy to see that having flood insurance provides a lot more help for recovery. Remember that YOUR HOMEOWNERS POLICY DOES NOT COVER FLOOD. Click Here For A Flood Insurance Quote.
Source: fema.gov
