FEMA Honors Private Sector Partners For Special Flood Insurance Achievements
Release Date: June 17, 2003
Release Number: HQ-03-135
Washington, DC -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)--part of the newly created Department of Homeland Security--has recognized several outstanding insurance and lending industry partners with special awards for their contributions to the National Flood Insurance Program.
Federal Insurance Administrator Anthony S. Lowe, who also serves as director of FEMA's Mitigation Division, presented the awards at the 2003 National Flood Conference held May 27-30 in San Francisco, Calif., attended by nearly 700 representatives of the banking and insurance industries, flood zone determination companies, realtors, local and state officials, and officials of FEMA. This year's conference focused on risk communication, FEMA's multi-hazard map modernization program, repetitive loss properties, pre-disaster mitigation and preparedness actions and policy growth and retention.
Lowe praised the insurance and lending representatives for their support in making the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) a success. "Your efforts to serve property owners nationwide prevent an enormous amount of financial suffering in flood-affected communities each year," he said.
The following awards honored FEMA's private sector partners for their accomplishments in promoting flood insurance:
The Agency of the Year Award was given to three insurance agencies that have displayed innovative marketing strategies, increased their flood portfolios and actively promoted flood insurance awareness. The winners were Alpha Insurance, LLC of Gretna, La.; Ray S. Celedinas and Associates of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.; and Galveston Insurance Associates of Galveston, Texas.
The Administrator's Club Award goes to those companies selling and servicing federally backed flood insurance that have achieved significant growth in new policies. The company with the highest percentage of growth and more than 2,500 new policies is also recognized with a trophy. This year's winners were Selective Insurance Co. of America, Branchville, N.J.; The Insurance Corporation of New York, Stamford, Conn.; American Strategic Insurance Corp., St. Petersburg, Fla.; Regency Insurance Co. (Administrator's Cup), Gainesville, Fla.; and Mutual Service Casualty Insurance Co., Arden Hills, Minn.
The Administrator's Quill Award recognizes the highest percentage of overall growth among the largest Write Your Own companies. The winner was The Insurance Corporation of New York.
The Roy T. Short Memorial Award is given by the National Lenders' Insurance Council to an "innovative and inspiring" person who has rendered the best service to lenders in helping them comply with federal flood insurance regulations while protecting investors and consumers from flood losses. It is presented in memory of the former vice president of Bank United and of the National Lenders' Insurance Council. This year's recipient was Linda Hood of Wells Fargo Insurance, Inc. in St. Louis Park, Minn.
A Special Recognition Award went to Grace Pilot of Pilot Catastrophe, Mobile, Ala. Her company has sponsored the opening reception for the annual National Flood Conference since the conferences began 20 years ago. Pilot Catastrophe also has been one of the premier flood adjusting firms in the NFIP.
The U.S. Congress established the NFIP in 1968 to make flood insurance available to property owners in communities that adopt and enforce floodplain management ordinances to reduce future flood losses by regulating new construction. Currently, more than 4.4 million policies are in force in nearly 20,000 participating communities nationwide, representing more than $640 billion worth of coverage. The NFIP is a self-supporting program; claims and operating expenses are paid from policyholder premiums, not tax dollars.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 17-Jun-2003 14:32:58