What to expect from newly designed flood insurance program

The House Financial Services Committee unanimously approved to extend the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for another five years. Financial reforms will also be established in an attempt to get the debt burdened program back on solid financial ground. The NFIP was created by Congress in 1968. It was intended to provide an insurance alternative to disaster assistance, to help meet skyrocketing costs of repair and replacement of homes and contents damaged by floods. As of last year, more than 5.5 million homes were insured by the NFIP. The National…

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Several rally to keep government flood program intact

Record flooding has put Mississippi in a state of disarray. The extent of flood damage is proof enough of the importance of insurance coverage, says the state’s Insurance Commissioner, Mike Chaney. Spurred by the flooding, Chaney is petitioning Congress to renew the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for another 5 years. Chaney argues that Mississippi residents relying on the program for coverage should not have to worry about their only means of protection disappearing. Several other Insurance Commissioners from across the country have joined in support of the continuance of…

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The National Flood Insurance Program at a crossroads

As the waters of the Mississippi River swell beyond their banks, expectations on the overall cost of damages are nearing $2 billion, according to insurance officials. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), the archaic insurance initiative installed by Congress in 1968, is likely to bear the majority of the financial burden. However, the program is already well into the red and the nation can ill afford to support the programs continued spiral into debt. The fate of the program now lies in the hands of the U.S. Congress. On Thursday,…

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Major flood risk areas in U.S.

U.S. and state officials from the Midwest are making preparations for possible floods that might happen during the spring along identified areas particularly those that are near the Red Rive and Mississippi River. These are the areas that are of the greatest risks for encountering the floods. The areas that are affected during the floods are among the top crop producers of the country. The states of Illinois and Iowa are leading exporters of corn and soybeans, while Minnesota and North Dakota are top producers of spring wheat and durum.…

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