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Five Months Remain Before Montgomery County, TX Flood Maps Become Final

DENTON, Texas –– New flood maps for specific areas of Montgomery County, Texas will become effective five months from now, on Monday, Aug. 18, 2014. Local and federal officials encourage everyone in the county to view the maps to understand their flood risk and consider buying flood insurance before then.

Most property insurance policies do not cover the effects of a flood. Floods can place people at risk of uninsured loss to their businesses, homes and personal property if they don’t have either a private flood insurance policy or coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a voluntary protection program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Flooding is the #1 natural disaster in the United States and only flood insurance covers these unexpected, damaging and sometimes fatal events. “Wherever it rains, it can flood,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “Everyone lives in a flood zone.”

To learn if your community participates in the NFIP and to review the new flood maps, residents can contact their local floodplain administrator.

Montgomery County maps on riskmap6.com have been updated to reflect appeal resolutions.
FEMA map specialists and flood insurance experts also are available to answer questions. They can be reached by phone and online chat:

• View the maps online at http://maps.riskmap6.com/TX/Montgomery
• 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.

FEMA encourages communities not currently participating in the NFIP to look at the benefits of joining the program. Participation in the NFIP can assure a faster recovery in the event of a devastating flood. 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.

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. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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Five Months Remain Before Montgomery County, TX Flood Maps Become Final

Four Months Remain Before Flood Maps For Specific Areas of Dallas County, Texas Become Final

DENTON, Texas –– New flood maps for specific areas of Dallas County will become effective on Monday, July 7, 2014. Local and federal officials encourage everyone to view the maps to understand their flood risk and consider purchasing flood insurance before then.

Most property insurance policies do not cover the effects of a flood. Floods can place people at risk of uninsured loss to their businesses, homes and personal property if they do not have either a private flood insurance policy or coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a voluntary protection program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Flooding is the number one natural disaster in the United States and only flood insurance covers these unexpected, damaging and sometimes fatal events.

“Where there is rain, there could be flooding,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “Everyone lives in a flood zone.”

To review the new flood maps, residents can contact their local floodplain administrator. An interactive mapping portal is also available. FEMA map specialists and flood insurance experts are available to answer questions and can be reached by phone and email:

• To view the maps on an interactive flood information portal, visit http://maps.riskmap6.com/TX/Dallas
• To view the Preliminary Interactive Flood Map Index online visit http://www.riskmap6.com/documents/Meeting_263/48113CIND0D.pdf
• To contact a FEMA Map Specialist, call 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627) or send an email to FEMAMapSpecialist@riskmapcds.com.
• To use the live chat service, visit http://go.usa.gov/r6C. Click on the “Live Chat” icon

Participation in the NFIP can assure a faster recovery in the event of a devastating flood. Contacting a local insurance agent is the first step to obtaining information about insurance. Residents can visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-888-379-9531 to find an agent near them.

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. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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Four Months Remain Before Flood Maps For Specific Areas of Dallas County, Texas Become Final

Extension for Coloradans filing NFIP claims

DENVER – FEMA has an important message regarding filing a federal flood insurance claim.

An additional 21 days is added to the normal 60-day deadline to file your proof of loss flood claim with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

This extension applies to flood damage related to Colorado flooding occurring between Sept. 10, 2013 and Sept. 30, 2013.

If you sustained from the September flooding, you should file your NFIP claim now.

For any questions, visit your insurance agent.

Please also refer to floodsmart.gov for more information about flood insurance.

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Extension for Coloradans filing NFIP claims

Five Months Remain Before Smith Co, TX Flood Maps Become Final

DENTON, Texas –– In five months, on Wednesday, April 14, 2014, new flood maps for Smith County, Texas will become effective. Before that date, state, local and federal officials are encouraging everyone to view the maps to understand their flood risk and consider purchasing flood insurance.

Flooding is the #1 natural disaster in the United States and only flood insurance covers these unexpected, damaging and sometimes fatal events. “Where there is rain, there could be flooding,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “Everyone lives in a flood zone.

To learn if your community participates in the NFIP and to review the new flood maps, residents can contact their local floodplain administrator.

FEMA map specialists and flood insurance experts also are available to answer 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.
View the maps online at http://maps.riskmap6.com/TX/Smith/

FEMA encourages communities not currently participating in the NFIP to look at the benefits of joining the program. Participation in the NFIP can assure a faster recovery in the event of a devastating flood. 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.

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Five Months Remain Before Smith Co, TX Flood Maps Become Final

Deadline for Filing NFIP Insurance Claim is 60 Days after Flood Damage

DENVER – The deadline for Colorado residents to file an insurance claim with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is 60 days after flood damage to an insured structure. For example, if the flood damage was on Sept. 10, the claim must be filed by Nov. 9. The flood event began in the mountains Sept. 10, and ended Sept. 30, when flood waters flowed out of state.

To date, NFIP has paid out $21.37 million to 1,167 Colorado policy holders affected by the September flooding.

Floods are the most common and costly natural disasters in the United States.

NFIP policies are sold and serviced through many private insurance companies. The policies cover physical damage to a building or personal property that is directly caused by a flood. For example, damage resulting from a sewer backup is covered if the problem is a direct result of flooding. However, if the backup is caused by something else, the damage is not covered.

Who is Eligible?

Individuals who live in 246 NFIP-participating communities in Colorado are eligible to purchase flood insurance. This includes not only homeowners, but also business owners, renters and those who own condo units. A single-family residential building can be insured up to $250,000 and its contents up to $100,000.

Renters can cover belongings up to $100,000, and business property owners can insure their buildings up to $500,000 and contents up to another $500,000.

Even after a home, apartment or business has been flooded, owners and renters are still eligible to purchase flood insurance if their communities participate in the NFIP. However, this insurance will be for future rather than past damage.

Misconceptions

A common misconception is that regular homeowner and business insurance policies cover flood damage. They generally do not. Another misconception is that NFIP policies pay retroactively for flood damage. Policies generally do not take effect until 30 days after purchase.

Please also refer to floodsmart.gov for more information about flood insurance.

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Deadline for Filing NFIP Insurance Claim is 60 Days after Flood Damage

Four Steps to Appeal Your Flood Insurance Claim

DENVER – As the November 14 deadline draws near for filing flood damage claims, survivors may have questions or need additional information regarding any determination their insurer might make regarding their claim.

If an insurer sends a written denial of the claim or part of a claim, an owner can appeal this determination. To file an appeal, follow these four steps:

Talk with the adjuster first regarding any questions about the claim.
If a satisfactory resolution isn’t reached, get contact information for the adjuster’s supervisor.
If the adjuster’s supervisor can’t resolve the issues, contact the insurance company’s claim representative. Ask the insurance agent or company representative for assistance.
If questions or concerns remain after steps one through three are completed, send a written letter to FEMA within 60 days from the date the denial letter was received from the flood insurer. Address this letter to:

FEMA

Mitigation Directorate

Federal Insurance Administration

1800 South Bell Street

Arlington, VA 20598-3010

The letter should be written by the person named on the NFIP policy or by their legal representative. If someone other than the policy owner writes the letter, clearly identify the relationship to the insured.

The letter of appeal must contain the following six items:

Policy Number as shown on the NFIP policy declarations page
Policyholder’s name as shown on the NFIP policy declarations page
Property address as shown on the NFIP policy declarations page (not a mailing address)
Contact information—where and how the policyholder can be reached
Complete details of the concerns
Dates of contact and contact details for the person(s) spoken with in steps one through three

Documentation of everything that supports the appeal should also be included, including a copy of the insurer’s written denial and a statement of the basis of the appeal. (Keep originals, send only copies.)

Examples of the kinds of documentation that FEMA requires can be found in the FEMA Flood Insurance Claims Handbook and downloaded at: http://tinyurl.com/pp8vz4l

Register with FEMA by phone, 800-621-3362, from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., MDT, seven days a week; or online: DisasterAssistance.gov. Multilingual phone operators are available on the FEMA helpline. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages.

People who have a speech disability or are deaf or hard of hearing may call (TTY) 800-462-7585; users of 711 or Video Relay Service can call 800-621-3362.

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Four Steps to Appeal Your Flood Insurance Claim

Penn Township Lowers Flood Insurance Premiums

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Residents of Penn Township in Snyder County, Pennsylvania have received a reduction in their flood insurance premiums through increase of various floodplain management measures encouraged by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) oversees the NFIP, which administers a program called the Community Rating System (CRS). The CRS is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities that exceed minimum NFIP requirements. The program includes 10 different class rating levels based on the number and type of activities voluntarily initiated by the participating community. Each level corresponds to a percentage discount on National Flood Insurance policy premiums within the municipality.

As a member of the Community Rating System, Penn Township is within an elite group of 24 Pennsylvania municipalities that have received this recognition. With the continued steps taken by Penn Township to protect its citizens and increase its resiliency, it has moved from a Class 8 to a Class 7 Community Rating System community. The Township is one of only four communities in the Commonwealth that have achieved this rating. The Class 7 rating qualifies National Flood Insurance Program policy holders in the Township an average of $103 savings on their annual premium. In total, the upgrade in class rating level accounts for a total savings of over $4,000 annually for citizens of Penn Township.

Under the CRS, local officials are asked to meet three goals: (1) reduce flood losses; (2) facilitate accurate insurance rating; and (3) promote the awareness of flood insurance. Communities can earn a CRS rating by submitting an application explaining the projects they have in place or development. Once the information is verified and approved, FEMA provides flood insurance premium discounts through the NFIP. The amount of a property owner’s policy discount is based on the community’s CRS rating.

For each Class that a community moves up to, it provides its residents with an additional 5% reduction in their flood insurance premiums up to the 45% reduction that a Class 1 community receives. As a Class 7 community, Penn Township enables its residents to receive a 15% reduction on their flood insurance premiums.

For information about flood insurance, property owners should contact their insurance agent, visit floodsmart.gov, or call the NFIP’s toll-free information line at 800-427-4661. To learn more about the CRS, visit floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/pages/crs/community_rating_system.jsp.

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. FEMA Region III’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts are available at fema.gov/medialibrary and youtube.com/fema. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion3.

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Penn Township Lowers Flood Insurance Premiums

Help is Available if Flooding Requires You to Elevate Your Home

AURORA, Ill. – If your home or business is in an area that floods frequently and the building received substantial damage from flooding during the spring storms, local officials may require you to elevate, relocate, or demolish your structure to prevent future losses.

This can be quite costly, but NFIP standard flood insurance policies will pay up to $30,000 of the eligible costs under the increased cost of compliance (ICC) coverage.

To qualify for ICC, the NFIP-insured structure must be located in a Special Flood Hazard Area and the cost to repair the structure must equal or exceed 50 percent of its market value prior to the flood damage.

You may also qualify if your community has a more restrictive floodplain management ordinance provision that requires damaged buildings to be brought into compliance when the cost exceeds a threshold lower than 50 percent, or by calculating the cost to repair cumulatively over a period of time, for buildings that are damaged repetitively.

Options other than elevating do exist. The home or business can be moved to a higher elevation on the property or it can be demolished. In some instances, primarily with businesses, the structure can be flood proofed.

Claims for ICC benefits are filed separately from your claim for contents or building loss.

You will learn if you are eligible after you file for a building permit to repair the structure. A local building official will determine if your home or business is substantially or repetitively damaged. If either determination is made, contact the insurance company or agent who wrote your flood policy.

You will be assigned to a claims representative who will help you prepare your ICC claim. You will need estimates from contractors for elevating, relocating, demolishing or flood proofing the structure to accompany the claim.

You may receive a partial payment once the claims representative has a copy of the signed contract for the work, a building permit and a signed ICC Proof of Loss form.

When the work is completed, local officials will inspect the structure and issue a certificate of occupancy or a confirmation letter. Submit this document to your claims representative and the insurer will pay either the final installment or the full payment.

Buildings deemed historic structures are handled separately. Contact your local floodplain manager or building official for more information.

If you received flood damage, between April 16 and May 5, be sure to register for FEMA disaster assistance. The deadline to register is Wednesday, July 24. Several ways to register are available: online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. People who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) can call 800-621-3362. For more information, visit the Illinois Disaster website www.fema.gov/disaster/4116.

Multilingual phone operators are available on the FEMA helpline. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages.

Follow FEMA online at twitter.com/femaregion5, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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Media Contact: 571-408-1835

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Help is Available if Flooding Requires You to Elevate Your Home

Mississippi Community Recognized For Reducing Flood Risks

Biloxi, Miss. earns Discount on Flood Insurance Premiums

ATLANTA – Biloxi residents with flood insurance policies will now receive a decrease on their annual flood premiums thanks to the city’s active participation in the National Flood Insurance Program’s Community Rating System.

FEMA Region IV Floodplain Management and Insurance Branch Chief Susan Wilson recognized Biloxi officials today with a plaque for the city’s efforts in becoming the third city in the state to earn a Class 5 community rating.

“Reaching a Class 5 rating is so rare nationwide that it really speaks to the local officials and their hard work and determination,” Wilson said. “They understand the extra effort isn’t just for a decrease to insurance premiums, but it is ensuring the entire city is more resistant to flood damage and more disaster resilient overall.”

The CRS rewards communities that voluntarily take steps to reduce flood risks beyond the minimum requirements of the NFIP. These steps, which include increasing flood protection and implementing preparedness and mitigation activities, lead to safer communities and ultimately help saves lives and property. As a result, property owners and renters in CRS-participating communities enjoy a reduction in flood insurance premiums. Communities are ranked from a 10 to 1 scale which determines their flood insurance discounts.

Biloxi policyholders began receiving flood insurance discounts from the CRS program in 1996. As a result of additional steps the community has recently taken, the community moved from a CRS Class 6 to a CRS Class 5 effective May 1, earning an additional five percent savings on flood insurance.

There are more than 5,900 flood insurance policies in Biloxi, representing more than $1.5 billion in flood insurance coverage. Policyholders located in the high risk areas of flooding, or Special Flood Hazard Areas, can now receive a 25 percent discount on their policy premium, which is an average savings of $285 per policy. Some policyholders in the lower risk areas are eligible for a 10 percent discount. In total, policyholders realize an annual savings of more than $437,000 because of the community’s CRS participation.

CRS is a voluntary program for NFIP-participating communities. The intended goals of the program are to reduce flood losses, facilitate accurate insurance ratings and to promote the awareness of flood insurance. The two other Mississippi communities to earn a Class 5 rating are Pascagoula and Waveland.

For more information on the NFIP’s CRS program visit www.fema.gov/business/nfip/crs.shtm. For more information about the NFIP, a program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), visit www.floodsmart.gov.

Community Rating System Facts:

Nationwide Communities: 1,211

Nationwide Class 5: 66

Mississippi Communities: 29

Mississippi Class 5: 3

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Mississippi Community Recognized For Reducing Flood Risks

Deadline Approaching in Louisiana for Hurricane Isaac Flood Insurance Claims

BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana property owners whose homes or other structures were damaged during Hurricane Isaac-related flooding have only a short time remaining to file claims for their losses. Most policyholders have until April 22 to complete their proof of loss claims.

Because of the widespread destruction caused by the storm, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) authorized four extensions to the initial 60-day filing deadline, increasing policyholders’ time to file to 240 days from the date of loss.

Hurricane Isaac first made landfall in Louisiana Aug. 28, 2012, with heavy rainfall and flooding occurring several days before and after it hit. For this reason the date of loss varies for property owners.

The NFIP is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Since Isaac made landfall, 13,181 claims have been filed in Louisiana and NFIP has paid out nearly $472 million.

“Hurricane Isaac disrupted the lives of thousands of people here in Louisiana so it was important to give policyholders time to collect information and file their flood insurance claims,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Gerard M. Stolar of FEMA. “However, people who haven’t yet submitted claims to their agents should do so now before it’s too late.”

Policyholders with questions about flood insurance or concerns about their claims should call the Hurricane Isaac Flood Insurance Call Center at 1-866-331-1679 or 1-866-330-7286 or talk to their local insurance representative.

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, visit online at www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion6 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA. Also visit our blog at www.fema.gov/blog.

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Deadline Approaching in Louisiana for Hurricane Isaac Flood Insurance Claims

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