Help Is Available For Building To a Higher Standard

TRENTON, N.J. — For many New Jersey homeowners, rebuilding after Hurricane Sandy will mean meeting a higher standard – literally.

Communities up and down the Jersey coast are reviewing new advisory base flood elevation maps published in December by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The maps show how high buildings should be elevated to minimize damage from future flooding.

Building higher means higher costs, but federal resources may be available to help with the additional expense.

Flood insurance policyholders in high-risk areas, also known as special flood hazard areas, can get up to $30,000 to help pay the costs of meeting the requirements of their community’s floodplain ordinance. The National Flood Insurance Program includes Increased Cost of Compliance coverage for all new and renewed standard flood insurance policies.

The money can be used to raise your home to, or above, the flood elevation level adopted by your local government or to move your home out of harm’s way. The Increased Cost of Compliance coverage can also be used to tear down and remove flood-damaged buildings.

Increased Cost of Compliance claims are paid only on flood-damaged homes in a high-risk area that don’t already comply with the local flood plain ordinances. The amount of flood damage has to be declared by local authorities as substantial. The coverage can only be used to pay for costs of meeting the floodplain management ordinance in your community.

For more information on ICC coverage, call your insurance company or agent, or call the NFIP toll-free at 800-427-4661 or TTY 800-427-5593. Information can also be found online at http://www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program.

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 FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema. 

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

Original source:  

Help Is Available For Building To a Higher Standard

Town of Aldora Makes Flood Insurance Available to Its Residents and Property Owners

Town of Aldora Makes Flood Insurance Available to Its Residents and Property Owners 

Town of Aldora, Ga. joins National Flood Insurance Program

Release Date: May 16, 2012
Release Number: R4-12-015

» 2012 Region IV News Releases

ATLANTA, Ga. — The town of Aldora in Lamar County, Ga. is now a participating community in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which means those living and working in the town can purchase federally-underwritten flood insurance.

Flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster in the U.S. Standard homeowner’s, business owner’s, and renter’s insurance doesn’t cover flood damage, so a separate flood insurance policy can provide property owners with financial protection against the devastating effects of flooding.

On May 10, 2012, Aldora joined the program and is now among nearly 21,000 communities participating in the NFIP nationwide. The NFIP does more than make flood insurance available; it also supports local communities in their efforts to reduce the risk and consequences of serious flooding. In order to participate in the program, a community must agree to adopt and enforce sound floodplain management regulations and ordinances to reduce future flood damage. In exchange for these practices, flood insurance is available to homeowners, business owners and renters in participating communities.

Even if you don’t live in an area at high-risk of flooding, you should still consider flood insurance because anyone can be financially vulnerable to floods. People outside of high-risk areas file more than 20 percent of NFIP claims and receive one-third of disaster assistance for flooding.

The NFIP is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency which works with nearly 90 private insurance companies to provide affordable flood insurance to property owners and renters in NFIP-participating communities. Flood insurance policies may be written by state-licensed property and casualty insurance agents.

For more information on the National Flood Insurance Program, visit www.floodsmart.gov.

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.

Last Modified: Wednesday, 16-May-2012 17:21:56

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Town of Aldora Makes Flood Insurance Available to Its Residents and Property Owners

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