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Contact Local Officials About Substantial Damage and Permits Before Starting Work

BATON ROUGE, La.— Move your recovery forward and get informed to make sure you invest resources properly and rebuild or repair wisely.

Contact your community’s floodplain management or building officials to start the inspection process to determine if your home or business is substantially damaged. Also get the proper permits for things like plumbing, electrical system, foundation and structural repairs.

Substantial damage exists in Special Flood Hazard Areas, or floodplains—areas that have increased flooding risks— when the cost of restoring a structure equals or exceeds 50 percent of the structure’s pre-damage market value. However, some communities enforce a more restrictive definition.

It’s important to know the structural damage percentage of your home or business because that information helps determine the work needed to repair or replace the damaged structure. It also helps determine if additional work will be needed to comply with local codes and ordinances.

You may appeal a substantial damage determination with your local officials if you disagree with their decision.

A structure located in a floodplain must be brought into compliance with local regulations if a local official determines it is substantially damaged. Local building departments may have adopted standards higher than FEMA’s that property owners would have to comply with when rebuilding.

Owners who decide to rebuild may need to elevate their structures, or change them in some other way to comply with local regulations and avoid future flood losses. Those who own non-residential structures may need to flood-proof their building.

Contact Local Officials About Substantial Damage and Permits,

Property owners who have flood insurance and a substantially damaged building in a floodplain may be able to get additional funds for costs related to complying with local regulations. Contact your insurance agent for more information.

Your parish emergency management office can assist with contacting your community’s floodplain management or building officials. Find their contact information online at www.gohsep.la.gov/about/parishpa.

If you have specific questions about your flood insurance policy or flood insurance claim, please call the FEMA call center at 800-621-3362 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and select Option 2. If you use TTY, call 800-462-7585. If you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

Learn more about mitigation by going online to fema.gov/Louisiana-disaster-mitigation.

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Contact Local Officials About Substantial Damage and Permits Before Starting Work

Flood Insurance Settlements to Texans Top $1 Billion

AUSTIN, Texas—More than 22,000 Texans battered by flooding over the last two years settled claims with the National Flood Insurance Program for over $1 billion, disaster recovery officials said today.

Severe storms and flooding over the last two years resulted in six federal disaster declarations in Texas, affecting more than half of the state’s 254 counties, many on multiple occasions. Residents are still picking up the pieces from flood-related disaster declarations in March, April and May-June this year.

About 100,000 individuals and families registered with FEMA for federal assistance during the 2015-2016 recovery. Only a small percentage received the agency’s maximum award of $33,000, for losses likely much greater. The average FEMA grant for the May-June floods was about $6,800.

Those with flood insurance and who filed claims in the last two years received an average settlement of about $57,000. There doesn’t have to be a federal disaster declaration to file a claim; in fact, most floods do not result in disaster declarations.

Most Texans Lack Flood Policies

Flooding is the most common U.S. disaster as well as the costliest natural disaster. Yet most Texans lack flood insurance, according to the Insurance Council of Texas. Less than 25 percent of the state’s homeowners are covered, despite the risks.

Homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flood damage, but the NFIP does. Funded by FEMA, NFIP makes flood insurance available for communities that participate in the program, regardless of whether the area is high, low, or medium risk. Check the Community Status Book to see if your community is already an NFIP partner.

NFIP carries a maximum coverage of $250,000 for homes and $100,000 for contents. Business coverage is a maximum of $500,000 for building and $500,000 for contents.

In nearly all cases, it takes 30 days after purchase for a policy to take effect, so it’s important to buy insurance before the storm approaches and the floodwaters start to rise.

To learn more about any property’s flood risk, estimate an NFIP premium or locate an insurance agent who sells flood insurance, go to www.floodsmart.gov. For flood information and safety tips visit www.ready.gov/floods. Find the Spanish-language website at www.listo.gov.

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September is National Preparedness Month. Feel free to share with your audience important tips from www.Ready.gov to prepare, plan and stay informed during any emergency.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Original article:

Flood Insurance Settlements to Texans Top $1 Billion

This Hurricane Season, Flood Insurance is a Wise Investment

AUSTIN, Texas – Flooding is a familiar and frequent natural disaster in Texas. Heavy rains are a consistent threat across the state, while hurricanes have caused hundreds of millions of dollars in flood damage to Texas homes and businesses in just the past few years.

A flood insurance policy through the National Flood Insurance Program offers Texas residents their best protection against loss. It takes 30 days for a new NFIP policy to go into effect.

Hurricane season runs June 1 through Nov. 30. Will you have flood insurance in time?

“During hurricane season, Texas residents and businesses are at risk,” said Federal Coordinating Officer William J. Doran III, who is in charge of FEMA’s operations in Texas. “A policy with the NFIP is one of the best ways to supplement federal assistance and protect your home and livelihood.”

Flood damage is not covered under homeowner insurance policies and there is no guarantee that federal disaster assistance will be available when a flood occurs.

Flood insurance is available to homeowners, business owners and renters. Policies offer up to $250,000 coverage for homeowners, up to $100,000 for personal property and up to $500,000 each for business contents and buildings.

Property owners who already have flood insurance policies are encouraged to check their policy each year, update as necessary and make sure premiums remain paid in full.

For more information or to find an insurance agent near you who sells flood insurance, visit floodsmart.gov, or call the NFIP’s toll-free number at 1-888-356-6329 (1-888-FLOOD29). Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 1-800-427-5593.

Download fema.gov/mobile-app to locate open shelters and disaster recovery centers, receive severe weather alerts, safety tips and much more.

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Download fema.gov/mobile-app to locate open shelters and disaster recovery centers, receive severe weather alerts, safety tips and much more.

Originally posted here –

This Hurricane Season, Flood Insurance is a Wise Investment

Clay County Arkansas Flood Maps Become Final

DENTON, Texas –– New flood maps become effective in Clay County on Aug. 3, 2016. Residents are encouraged to examine so they can determine the need to buy flood insurance. By knowing their risks, individuals and community leaders can make informed decisions about building and development.

The effects of flooding are not covered by most homeowner insurance policies. Anyone without flood insurance risks uninsured losses to their homes, personal property and businesses. Flood insurance is available either through a private policy, or through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The NFIP is a voluntary program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Residents with federal mortgages must have flood insurance if the structures are in flood hazard areas. Flooding is the #1 natural disaster in the U.S. and only flood insurance covers these unexpected, damaging and sometimes fatal events.

To learn if your community participates in the NFIP and to review the new flood maps, contact your local floodplain administrator. “We all need to learn what our risks are and prepare for them,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “Floods can happen anywhere.”

FEMA map specialists and flood insurance experts also are available to answer questions. They can be reached by phone and online chat.

FEMA encourages communities not currently participating in the NFIP to look at the benefits of joining the program. Contacting a local insurance agent is the first step to obtaining information about insurance. Folks can visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-888-379-9531 to locate an agent in their area.

Continued here:

Clay County Arkansas Flood Maps Become Final

Grant Parish, Louisiana, Flood Maps Become Final in June

DENTON, Texas ––New flood maps for Grant Parish will become effective June 16, 2016. Parish residents are encouraged to view the maps before the effective date to understand their flood risk.

Most property insurance policies do not cover the effects of flooding. People without flood insurance risk uninsured losses to their homes, personal property and businesses. Flooding is the most frequent natural disaster in the U.S. and only flood insurance covers these events. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is a voluntary program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

“What’s the first step in preparing for flooding? Finding out about your risk,” said Acting FEMA Region 6 Administrator Moises Dugan. “Everyone needs to prepare for the risks and hazards in their communities.”

Contact your local floodplain administrator to learn if your community participates in the NFIP. You can also review the new flood maps at the parish floodplain administrator’s office. FEMA map specialists and flood insurance experts also are available to answer your questions. They can be reached by phone and online chat.

To view a Preliminary Interactive Flood Map: http://maps.riskmap6.com/LA/Grant
To use the live chat service, visit http://go.usa.gov/r6C. Click on the “Live Chat” icon.
To contact a FEMA Map Specialist, call 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627) or send an email to FEMAMapSpecialist@riskmapcds.com.
NFIP Helpline – 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), press “2” for Flood Insurance questions

FEMA encourages non-participating communities to look at the benefits of joining the NFIP.

Has your property has been newly mapped into a Special Flood Hazard Area? If so, you may want to consider buying flood insurance before the maps become effective. Contacting a local insurance agent is the first step in getting information about insurance. Visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-888-379-9531 to locate an agent in your area.

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Source:

Grant Parish, Louisiana, Flood Maps Become Final in June

FEMA: More than 50,500 Californians Protect Homes, Properties from increased El Niño Flood Risk

During historic 1998 El Niño season that created $550 million in damages, it was not until February that California experienced flooding damage that warranted a federal presidential declaration

Oakland Calif., — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today released new data on National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policies, showing an increase of more than 27,000 new NFIP policies written in California during the month of December 2015. There is a 30 – 90 day waiting period for new policies to be reported to FEMA and the latest available data, released today, shows an increase of more than 55,500 new flood insurance policies purchased in California from August 31 – December 31, 2015.

The nearly 25% increase for the state is the first of its kind, in any state, in the history of the National Flood Insurance Program, created in 1968.

“FEMA recognizes that a government-centric approach to emergency management is not adequate to meet the challenges posed by a catastrophic incident,” said FEMA Region 9 Administrator Robert Fenton. “Utilizing a whole community approach to emergency management reinforces that FEMA is only one part of our nation’s emergency management team and individuals are arguably the most important part of that team.”
Although the agency does not directly correlate all NFIP claims this year to El Niño, FEMA has already seen 127 National Flood Insurance Program policyholders submit claims in California during January 2016 compared to only 1 claim submitted in California for the same period during the previous year.

Although parts of FEMA Region 9 have recently been in a relative dry period, according to the National Weather Service, the impact of El Niño is not over.

“It has not been uncommon during past strong El Niño events to go through drier periods, even during the winter months,” said National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Weather Service meteorologist Scott Carpenter. “A change in the weather pattern around the last week of February may start bringing the storm track farther south and across more of California into March.”
NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center forecasts climate anomalies associated with the ongoing El Niño episode are expected to result in at least minimal improvements to the drought conditions across much of California and western Nevada through the end of April.

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources.
Flooding can happen anywhere, but certain areas are especially prone to serious flooding. Many areas in California are at increased flood risk from El Niño, as a direct result of wildfires and drought.

Residents should be aware of a couple things:

o You can’t get flood insurance at the last minute. In most cases, it takes 30 days for a new flood insurance policy to go into effect. So get your policy now.
o Only Flood Insurance Covers Flood Damage. Most standard homeowner’s policies do not cover flood damage.
o Get all the coverage you need. An agent can walk you through coverage options.
o Know your flood risk. Visit FloodSmart.gov (or call 1-800-427-2419) to learn more about individual flood risk, explore coverage options and to find an agent in your area.

In September 2015, FEMA’s Region 9 office in Oakland, Calif., established an El Niño Task Force with the mission of preparing for the impact of El Niño. The task force is evaluating the core capabilities needed to protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from any flooding that occurs across the Region this winter and spring. In December 2015, FEMA Region 9 released its draft El Niño severe weather response plan and convened a Regional interagency steering committee meeting in Northern California to exercise the plan. The plan is a living document and is continuously updated as new information on the El Niño threat emerges.

FEMA administers the National Flood Insurance Program and works closely with more than 80 private insurance companies to offer flood insurance to homeowners, renters, and business owners. In order to qualify for flood insurance, the home or business must be in a community that has joined the NFIP and agreed to enforce sound floodplain management standards.
NFIP is a federal program and offers flood insurance which can be purchased through private property and casualty insurance agents. Rates are set nationally and do not differ from company to company or agent to agent.

These rates depend on many factors, which include the date and type of construction of your home, along with your building’s level of risk.

Visit Ready.gov for more preparedness tips and information and follow @FEMARegion9 on Twitter.

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Source:

FEMA: More than 50,500 Californians Protect Homes, Properties from increased El Niño Flood Risk

National Flood Insurance Program — Who’s Eligible?

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missouri homeowners, renters and business owners are eligible and encouraged to purchase National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policies even if their home or business isn’t located in a flood plain or high-risk zone.

The NFIP aims to reduce the impact of flooding on private and public structures. It does so by providing affordable flood insurance and encouraging communities to adopt and enforce floodplain management regulations.

NFIP insurance is available to homeowners, renters, condo owners/renters, and commercial owners/renters. But in order to purchase a policy the residence or business must in a community that participates in the NFIP. Missouri communities in the program are listed here — http://www.fema.gov/cis/MO.html. Other communities can request to be added if they meet certain criteria.

More than 70 private insurance agents or agencies in Missouri are certified to sell and service NFIP policies, including all of those listed on this link — http://www.fema.gov/wyo_company

Residents can also contact their own insurance agent or company to find out more about federal flood insurance or find an agent serving their area by filling out the One-Step Flood Risk Profile on the FloodSmart.gov home page (www.floodsmart.gov).

Costs vary depending on how much insurance is purchased, what is covered and the property’s level of flood risk. Those in moderate- to low-risk areas can purchase a special Preferred Risk Policy (PRP) that provides building and contents coverage for one low-price. Typically, there’s a 30-day waiting period from date of purchase before your policy goes into effect.

Why is an NFIP policy necessary if federal aid is available after a flood? Federal disaster assistance typically comes in the form of small grants or low-interest loans to help cover flood damage, not to fully compensate for losses. Even then, those grants and loans are only available if the president formally declares a disaster. NFIP policies are not dependent on a federal disaster declaration.

Flooding occurs in moderate- to low-risk areas as well as in high-risk areas due to factors like poor drainage systems, rapid accumulation of rainfall, snowmelt, and broken water mains. In addition to floods, NFIP policies also cover damage from mudflows. In fact, over 20-percent of all flood insurance claims come from areas outside of mapped high-risk flood zones.

NFIP policyholders who have questions about their flood insurance policy or the claims process, as well as disaster survivors who have general questions about the program, can contact the support hotline by calling toll-free 800-621-3362. For individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability using 711 or VRS, please call 866-337-4262. For individuals using a TTY, please call 800-462-7585.

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Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders and ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

For real-time disaster updates, follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion7 and turn on mobile notifications.

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National Flood Insurance Program — Who’s Eligible?

More Californians Preparing For Severe El Nino Flood Risk: Residents Purchase 28,000 New Flood Insurance Policies in California

More Californians Preparing For Severe El Nino Flood Risk: Residents Purchase 28,000 New Flood Insurance Policies in California

28,084 New National Flood Insurance Program Policies Purchased in California since August

Oakland Calif., — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today released new data on

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Policies, showing an increase of more than 20,000 new NFIP Policies written in California during the month of November 2015.

There is a 30 – 90 day waiting period for new policies to be reported to FEMA and the latest available data, released today, shows an increase of 28,084 new flood insurance policies purchased in California from August 31 – November 30, 2015.

“Flooding is the most costly and devastating disaster we face as a nation,” said FEMA Region 9 Administrator Robert Fenton. “The major increase in flood policies show Californians are taking the threat seriously and taking powerful steps to protect their families and property. Those who may need and not have a flood policy should act today, as policies generally take 30 days to go into effect.”

The 12% increase is the first of its kind in recent history. The previous reporting period showed that policies increased 3% from August 31 to October 31. During that timeframe, 7,181 new federal flood insurance policies were written in California.

“We are encouraged by the number of Californians that are becoming financially prepared for the flooding that is expected from El Nino,” said Janet Ruiz, California Representative for the Insurance Information Institute. “It is crucial to protect our families and homes by preparing for catastrophes ahead of time.”

FEMA administers the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and works closely with more than 80 private insurance companies to offer flood insurance to homeowners, renters, and business owners. In order to qualify for flood insurance, the home or business must be in a community that has joined the NFIP and agreed to enforce sound floodplain management standards.

Flooding can happen anywhere, but certain areas are especially prone to serious flooding. Many areas in California are at increased flood risk from El Niño, as a direct result of wildfires and drought.

Residents should be aware of a couple things:
- You can’t get flood insurance at the last minute. In most cases, it takes 30 days for a new flood insurance policy to go into effect. So get your policy now.
- Only Flood Insurance Covers Flood Damage. Most standard homeowner’s policies do not cover flood damage.
- Get all the coverage you need. Your agent can walk you through the policy.
Know your flood risk. Visit FloodSmart.gov (or call 1-800-427-2419) to learn more about individual flood risk, explore coverage options and to find an agent in your area.
Flood insurance covers flood, but there are other affects from flooding that may apply to you. Damage from mudflows is covered by flood insurance; damage from landslides and other earth movements is not. Speak to your agent.

NFIP is a federal program and offers flood insurance which can be purchased through private property and casualty insurance agents. Rates are set nationally and do not differ from company to company or agent to agent. These rates depend on many factors, which include the date and type of construction of your home, along with your building’s level of risk.

FEMA’s Region 9 office in Oakland, CA has established an El Niño Task Force and is working with the California Office of Emergency Services with the mission of preparing the Region and its partners for the impact of El Niño. The task force is evaluating the core capabilities needed to protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from any flooding that occurs across the region this winter. Last month, the FEMA Region 9 Office released its Draft Severe El Nino Disaster Response plan and convened a regional interagency steering committee meeting in Northern California to exercise the plan.

FEMA recognizes that a government-centric approach to emergency management is not adequate to meet the challenges posed by a catastrophic incident. Utilizing a “whole community” approach to emergency management reinforces that FEMA is only one part of our nation’s emergency management team.

Visit Ready.gov for more preparedness tips and information and follow FEMARegion9 on Twitter.

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More Californians Preparing For Severe El Nino Flood Risk: Residents Purchase 28,000 New Flood Insurance Policies in California

Preliminary Flood Maps in Tarrant County, Texas Ready for Public View

DENTON, Texas –Residents of Arlington, Garland and the rest of Tarrant County have new preliminary flood maps to review.

These maps help homeowners and businesses decide about purchasing flood insurance. By knowing the risks, individuals and community leaders can make informed decisions about building and development.

“We’ve worked with our state and local partners to bring this critical information to the county. We hope that everyone reviews the maps to understand the flood risks involved,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “Having the community as an active partner in the flood mapping process is very important.”

To see the revised flood maps, please contact your local floodplain administrator. He or she may be located at City Hall or the local county government building. You can also visit http://msc.fema.gov/portal or http://maps.riskmap6.com. To contact a FEMA Map Specialist, call 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627) or send an email to FEMAMapSpecialist@riskmapcds.com.

What happens after flood risks are identified? The next step is to consider purchasing a flood policy from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-888-379-9531 to locate an agent in your area.

Preliminary Flood Maps in Tarrant County, Texas Ready for Public View

Otero County, New Mexico Flood Maps Become Final

DENTON, Texas ––New flood maps for Otero County and the Village of Tularosa will become effective and will be used for rating flood insurance policies on Wednesday, Nov. 4. Flooding is the most frequent natural disaster in the U.S. and only flood insurance covers these unexpected, damaging and sometimes fatal events. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is a voluntary protection program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Contact your local floodplain administrator to learn if your community participates in the NFIP and to review the new flood maps. FEMA map specialists and flood insurance experts also are available to answer your questions. They can be reached by phone and online chat.

•   To use the live chat service, visit http://go.usa.gov/r6C. Click on the “Live Chat” icon.
•   To contact a FEMA Map Specialist, call 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627) or send an email to FEMAMapSpecialist@riskmapcds.com.
•   NFIP Helpline – 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), press “2” for Flood Insurance questions

FEMA encourages communities not currently participating in the NFIP to look at the benefits of joining the program. The purchase of insurance should be considered for those newly mapped into a Special Flood Hazard Area before the maps become effective. Contacting a local insurance agent is the first step to obtaining information about insurance. Visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-888-379-9531 to locate an agent in your area.

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Otero County, New Mexico Flood Maps Become Final

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