In the Northeast residents without flood insurance may be in for a rude awakening

A major hurricane has not made landfall on U.S. soil since 2008, but Hurricane Irene has broken that period of peace. As the first real hurricane of a supposedly active season, Irene seems to be making up for lost time. The storm has already reached Category 3 and is expected to reach the Carolina’s by Thursday. The hurricane will continue moving north, making its way through Long Island, New York and other states. The coming storm has raised concerns regarding insurance coverage as many come to the dire realization that…

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National Flood Insurance Program on financial shaky ground

On Wednesday, a subcommittee of the House of Representatives approved amendments that could help revitalize the stagnant National Flood Insurance Program. The program is currently in a state of bankruptcy, having been unable to procure any additional funding from the government. It will continue to operate until September 30, when funding will run out completely. The legislation, which was passed by a voice vote, seeks to revamp the program to make it more financially sound and provide federal agencies such as FEMA more flexibility in their operations. “In the near…

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Homeowners in the Lone Star State may want to reconsider flood insurance

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is saying that Texas residents are not prepared for flooding in the state. According to federal officials, only 8% of Texans have flood insurance and, given the frequency of recent catastrophic events, that is not good enough. Most insurance policies do not cover flooding and homeowners will have to go through a third party to obtain appropriate coverage. “The most alarming thing we have found is the lack of people who have flood insurance,” says Philip Beasly, FEMA’s director of external affairs. FEMA is…

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