FEMA urging Florida residents to purchase flood insurance
DEMOCRAT STAFF REPORT • June 4, 2009
With hurricane season underway, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is reminding Florida residents about the importance of flood insurance, even if they don’t live in high-risk areas.
Anyone who lives in a community that participates in the National Flood Insurance Program can purchase flood insurance, and between 20-25 percent of those who file flood insurance claims do not live in areas at high risk for flooding according to a news release from FEMA.
After Tropical Storm Fay in 2008, nearly 150 flood insurance policy holders with properties in areas with a low-to-moderate risk for flooding received more than $7 million from the NFIP in settlement payouts.
The release states that it can take 30 days for flood policies to take effect. FEMA is helping all eligible applicants who register directly with the agency and urging them to file claims as soon as possible to help speed up their recovery.
For more information, visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-888-275-6347 or 1-800-427-5593.