Participation in National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Urged
Release Date: April 2, 2008
Release Number: 1751-003
» More Information on Arkansas Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- For Arkansans living in a community that does not participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), it may be very difficult to recover from the extensive losses from the March flooding. What many Arkansans may not know is that their homeowner's insurance does not cover damages caused by floods. And you can't purchase flood insurance if your community does not participate in this federal program. Also, if the President declares a disaster as a result of flooding, no federal financial assistance can be provided for the permanent repair or reconstruction of insurable buildings.
If your community doesn't participate, you can petition your local government to take the actions to qualify for NFIP participation. To find out if your community participates in the NFIP, go to www.fema.gov/fema/csb.shtm. If the community applies and is accepted into the NFIP within six months of a presidential disaster declaration, these limitations on federal disaster assistance may be lifted. Upon your community's acceptance in the NFIP, you may purchase flood insurance for future flooding events; however, the flood insurance would not cover losses suffered prior to purchasing flood insurance.
Flooding is the nation's No. 1 natural disaster. In just the past 10 years (1996-2005), annual flood losses in the United States averaged $2.4 billion per year. Currently, more than 5 million policyholders are protected with flood insurance policies however many more homeowners remain at risk.
Community participation in the NFIP is voluntary. Under the National Flood Insurance Program, federally-backed flood insurance is available to homeowners, renters and business owners in communities that adopt and enforce floodplain management ordinances to reduce future flood losses by regulating new construction in high flood-risk areas. A community is considered an incorporated city, town, township, borough, village, tribe, or part of a county or parish that can enforce its own floodplain management ordinances.
Currently, more than 5.4 million flood insurance policies are in effect in approximately 20,300 participating communities nationwide.
To join the NFIP, the community must complete an application, adopt a resolution of intent to participate, and adopt and submit a floodplain management ordinance that meets or exceeds the minimum NFIP criteria. The floodplain management ordinance must also adopt any Flood Insurance Rate Map or Flood Insurance Boundary Map for the community.
The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) is the state's homeland security and emergency management agency. The agency works to identify and lessen the effects of emergencies, disasters and threats to Arkansas by developing effective prevention, preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery actions for all disasters and emergencies.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Thursday, 03-Apr-2008 08:20:06