Facts and Myths about Flood Insurance

Get The Facts About Flood Insurance

Don’t overlook this important safeguard

Release Date: June 2, 2009
Release Number: 1833-042

» More Information on Georgia Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-line Winds

ATLANTA, Ga. -- Popular yet incorrect notions about the National Flood Insurance Program can lead homeowners and businesses to pass up this easy and important safeguard. Here are some truths about flood insurance that can help residents.

Myth: Homeowners' insurance policies cover floods.
Fact: No, most standard multi-peril home and business insurance policies do not cover flooding. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is the only way a homeowner, business owner or renter can limit the cost of damages from flooding. Homes, businesses, personal property and business inventory contents are covered for flood by the NFIP. Policies may be purchased through private insurance companies or directly from an NFIP Agent.

Myth: You cannot buy flood insurance if you do not live in a high flood-risk area or if your home or business was flooded in the past.
Fact: You can buy flood insurance no matter where you live, provided your community participates in the National Flood Insurance Program. You are still eligible to purchase flood insurance even if your home, apartment or business has experienced a flood. Even if your area is not considered a high flood-risk, all areas are susceptible to flood. Nearly 25 percent of all NFIP claims are from outside high flood-risk areas.

Myth: Flood insurance does not cover flood damage to anything in the basement.
Fact: Yes, it does. The NFIP defines a basement as any area with a floor below ground level on all sides. In a basement, the NFIP covers essential home equipment connected to an electrical source such as sump-pumps, furnaces, water heaters, air conditioners, heat pumps, circuit breakers, etc.

The NFIP also covers structural components in the basement such as staircases, elevators, dumbwaiters, unpainted drywall walls, ceilings and fiberglass insulation. If the resident or business owner chose to insure the basement "contents" with the policy, NFIP would cover clothes washers and dryers, as well as food freezers located in the basement and the food inside.

The NFIP does not insure "finished" basements. The NFIP will not cover improved basement walls, ceilings, and furniture or entertainment electronics in a finished basement.

Myth: You cannot buy flood insurance immediately before or after a flood.
Fact: You can buy flood insurance anytime, but there is a 30-day waiting period after the first premium payment before the policy becomes effective. There are exceptions: There is no waiting period when making, increasing, extending, or renewing a loan. The waiting period is reduced to one day during the first 13 months after a change to the local flood insurance rate map (FIRM). If the building or home was recently revised by the FIRM to be a high flood-risk area, an NFIP policy takes effect one day after the first premium payment.

To learn more about the National Flood Insurance Program, visit its Web site at www.floodsmart.gov. On the Web site, you can learn if your community participates in the NFIP and where to locate an insurance agent who sells flood insurance near you. The interactive portion of the site offers specific information on flood risk to your home or business and can estimate your flood insurance premium. For more questions about NFIP and the Flood smart program, call 888-379-9531.

FEMA leads and supports the nation in a risk-based, comprehensive emergency management system of preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation, to reduce the loss of life and property and protect the nation from all hazards including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters.

Hurricane Preparedness for Floridians

Floridians Need To Watch, Prepare For Hurricane Season

Hurricane Preparedness Week For Florida Counties

Release Date: June 1, 2009
Release Number: 1831-041

» More Information on Florida Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-line Winds

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- As if weather problems have not caused enough headaches for Floridians recovering from springtime floods, Hurricane Season is here.

With the beginning of the hurricane season, many north Floridians, still dealing with the aftermath of the late March storms and flooding, are urged to think seriously now about re-stocking their emergency kits and reviewing their disaster plans.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and Florida's Division of Emergency Management want residents to be prepared and ready to evacuate if ordered to do so.

Both organizations offer easy-to-use disaster planning guides for families to use in devising their own readiness plan. The guides are available at www.floridadisaster.org or www.ready.gov. Helpful information about reducing flood risks and the importance of flood insurance is available at www.floodsmart.gov.

Here's what to do now:

Review your family disaster plan.

• Where will you go in an evacuation? Will you stay with family or friends, go to a motel or shelter? Don't forget about pets. Many shelters will not permit them, so know in advance where pet-friendly shelters are located;
• Know your evacuation routes and stay current with traffic reports; and
• Go over your family's communication plan. Have a friend or relative in another state or city serve as a point of contact in case family members are separated.

Check or restock your portable disaster kit in case of evacuation. It should include:

• At least a three-day supply of food and bottled water for each family member;
• A manual can opener;
• Battery-powered radio and flashlights with extra batteries;
• First aid kit with family members' medications;
• Hygiene and personal care items;
• Emergency contact list and phone numbers;
• Pet supplies;
• Copies of important papers, including insurance policies and bank account information; and
• Emergency cash and credit card in the case of an evacuation with little notice.

Stay informed about storm threat, know risks, and be prepared to evacuate.

• If evacuation or a storm seems likely, reinforce windows and garage doors against strong winds;
• Be ready to move if you are instructed to leave your home for an evacuation;
• If you do not have a car, plan now for alternative means of transportation;
• If any family member has special needs, you should inform local emergency managers as part of your disaster planning; and
• Remember; don't drive through water that may contain submerged hazards.

You may also want to inquire about emergency plans at places where your family spends time: work, daycare and school. If no plan exists, consider volunteering to help create one. Talk to your neighbors about how you can work together in the event of an emergency. You will be better prepared to safely reunite your family and loved ones during an emergency if you think ahead and communicate with others in advance.

FEMA leads and supports the nation in a risk-based, comprehensive emergency management system of preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation, to reduce the loss of life and property and protect the nation from all hazards including natural disasters, acts of terrorism and man-made disasters.

Information Available from FEMA

Web Sites To Browse And Free Publications To Order Or Download

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sites include www.ready.gov and a recently launched site for the 2009 hurricane season: www.fema.gov/hazard/hurricane/hu_season09.shtm.

In addition, free publications can be downloaded from the FEMA Web site, www.fema.gov, or ordered toll-free at 800-480-2520.

To search for FEMA publications on their Web site, scroll to Forms and Publications under Quick Links at the left-hand column. Once at that link, in the Advanced Search space at the top right of the page, type names of publications or words such as hurricane preparedness, managing stress, disaster kits, building using wind resistant technology or children's publications. Many of the publications are available in Spanish and other languages.

A few of the publications on hurricane preparedness and protection include:

• Are You Ready? (IS 22). This is FEMA's most comprehensive source on all-hazards preparedness.
• Against the Wind: Protecting Your Home from Hurricane and Wind Damage (FEMA 247).
• Safety tips for Hurricanes (L 105). A publication for teachers and parents to present to children.
• Homeowner's Guide to Retrofitting: Six Ways to Protect Your House from Flooding (#312).
• Coastal Construction Manual: Principles And Practices Of Planning, Siting, Designing, Constructing, And Maintaining Residential Buildings In Coastal Areas (FEMA 55).
• Step-by-step booklet series:
  • Preparing for Disaster (FEMA 475)
  • Helping Children Cope with Disaster (FEMA 478)
  • Disaster Preparedness Coloring Book (FEMA 243E)
  • Food and Water in an Emergency (FEMA 477)
  • Preparing for Disaster for People with Disabilities and other Special Needs FEMA 476)

FEMA leads and supports the nation in a risk-based, comprehensive emergency management system of preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation, to reduce the loss of life and property and protect the nation from all hazards including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters.

Hurricane Season begins today, Get Ready

000
ABNT20 KNHC 011134
TWOAT
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
800 AM EDT MON JUN 1 2009

FOR THE NORTH ATLANTIC...CARIBBEAN SEA AND THE GULF OF MEXICO...

TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION IS NOT EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS.

TODAY MARKS THE FIRST DAY OF THE ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON...WHICH
WILL RUN UNTIL NOVEMBER 30.  LONG-TERM ANNUAL AVERAGES OF TROPICAL
STORMS...HURRICANES...AND MAJOR HURRICANES IN THIS BASIN ARE 11...
6...AND 2...RESPECTIVELY.

THE LIST OF NAMES FOR 2009 IS AS FOLLOWS:

NAME          PRONUNCIATION     NAME          PRONUNCIATION
--------------------------------------------------------------
ANA           AH- NAH           LARRY
BILL                            MINDY
CLAUDETTE     CLAW DET-         NICHOLAS      NIK- O LAS
DANNY                           ODETTE        O DET-
ERIKA         ERR- REE KA       PETER
FRED                            ROSE
GRACE                           SAM
HENRI         AHN REE-          TERESA        TE REE- SA
IDA                             VICTOR        VIC- TER
JOAQUIN       WAH KEEN-         WANDA
KATE

THIS PRODUCT...THE TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK...BRIEFLY DESCRIBES
SIGNIFICANT AREAS OF DISTURBED WEATHER AND THEIR POTENTIAL FOR
TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS.  BEGINNING
THIS YEAR...THE OUTLOOK WILL ALSO CONTAIN CATEGORICAL PROBABILITIES
OF FORMATION...I.E. LOW...LESS THAN 30 PERCENT...MEDIUM...30 TO 50
PERCENT...OR HIGH...GREATER THAN 50 PERCENT FOR EACH DISTURBANCE
DESCRIBED.  THE ISSUANCE TIMES OF THIS PRODUCT ARE 2 AM...8 AM...
2 PM...AND 8 PM EDT.  AFTER THE CHANGE TO STANDARD TIME IN
NOVEMBER...THE ISSUANCE TIMES WILL BE 1 AM...7 AM...1 PM...AND 7 PM
EDT.

IN PREVIOUS YEARS...THE SPECIAL TROPICAL DISTURBANCE STATEMENT COULD
BE ISSUED AT ANY TIME TO DESCRIBE SIGNIFICANT DISTURBANCES IN
BETWEEN ISSUANCES OF THE TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK.  THE SPECIAL
TROPICAL DISTURBANCE STATEMENT HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED AND WILL NO
LONGER BE ISSUED.  INSTEAD...A SPECIAL TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK
WILL BE ISSUED TO PROVIDE UPDATES...AS NECESSARY...IN BETWEEN THE
REGULARLY SCHEDULED ISSUANCES OF THE TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK.
SPECIAL TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOKS WILL BE ISSUED UNDER THE SAME WMO
AND AWIPS HEADERS AS THE REGULAR TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOKS.

A STANDARD PACKAGE OF PRODUCTS...CONSISTING OF THE TROPICAL
CYCLONE PUBLIC ADVISORY...THE FORECAST/ADVISORY...THE CYCLONE
DISCUSSION...AND A WIND SPEED PROBABILITY PRODUCT...IS ISSUED
EVERY SIX HOURS FOR ALL ONGOING TROPICAL CYCLONES.  IN
ADDITION...A SPECIAL ADVISORY PACKAGE MAY BE ISSUED AT ANY TIME TO
ADVISE OF SIGNIFICANT UNEXPECTED CHANGES OR TO MODIFY WATCHES OR
WARNINGS.

THE TROPICAL CYCLONE UPDATE IS A BRIEF STATEMENT TO INFORM OF
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN A TROPICAL CYCLONE OR TO POST OR CANCEL
WATCHES OR WARNINGS.  IT IS USED IN LIEU OF OR TO PRECEDE THE
ISSUANCE OF A SPECIAL ADVISORY PACKAGE.  TROPICAL CYCLONE
UPDATES...WHICH CAN BE ISSUED AT ANY TIME...CAN BE FOUND UNDER WMO
HEADER WTNT61-65 KNHC...AND UNDER AWIPS HEADER MIATCUAT1-5.

ALL NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER TEXT AND GRAPHICAL PRODUCTS ARE
AVAILABLE ON THE WEB AT WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV

USERS WILL NOTICE A SLIGHT CHANGE TO REFERENCES TO THE
SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE IN NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER PUBLIC
PRODUCTS THIS YEAR.  EVEN THOUGH THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE CATEGORY
(1 TO 5) IS DETERMINED SOLELY BY THE HURRICANE'S MAXIMUM SUSTAINED
WIND SPEED...THE SCALE TRADITIONALLY HAS ALSO INCLUDED STORM SURGE
RANGES AND FLOODING REFERENCES.  ON AN EXPERIMENTAL BASIS FOR THE
2009 HURRICANE SEASON...THESE STORM SURGE RANGES AND FLOODING
REFERENCES WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE DESCRIPTIONS FOR EACH CATEGORY.
WITH THIS MODIFICATION...THE SCALE HAS BEEN RENAMED THE
SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE.  THERE HAVE BEEN NO CHANGES TO
THE WIND SPEED THRESHOLDS OF THE SCALE.  FOR MORE INFORMATION ON
THIS EXPERIMENTAL CHANGE AND ON HOW TO PROVIDE COMMENTS...PLEASE
SEE /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/INFOSERVICECHANGES/SSHWS.PDF

$$
FORECASTER KIMBERLAIN/BLAKE