Latest news with #NationalFloodInsuranceProgram
Yahoo
a day ago
- Science
- Yahoo
FEMA's flood maps often miss dangerous flash flood risks, leaving homeowners unprepared
The deadly flash flooding in Texas on July 4, 2025, and destructive flash floods a week later in states including New Mexico, Vermont and Iowa are raising questions about the nation's flood maps and their ability to ensure that communities and homeowners can prepare for rising risks. The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency's flood maps are intended to be the nation's primary tool for identifying flood risks. Originally developed in the 1970s to support the National Flood Insurance Program, these maps, known as Flood Insurance Rate Maps, or FIRMs, are used to determine where flood insurance is required for federally backed mortgages, to inform local building codes and land-use decisions, and to guide flood plain management strategies. In theory, the maps enable homeowners, businesses and local officials to understand their flood risk and take appropriate steps to prepare and mitigate potential losses. But while FEMA has improved the accuracy and accessibility of the maps over time with better data, digital tools and community input, the maps still don't capture everything – including the changing climate. There are areas of the country that flood, some regularly, that don't show up on the maps as at risk. I study flood-risk mapping as a university-based researcher and at First Street, an organization created to quantify and communicate climate risk. In a 2023 assessment using newly modeled flood zones with climate-adjusted precipitation records, we found that more than twice as many properties across the country were at risk of a 100-year flood than the FEMA maps identified. Even in places where the FEMA maps identified a flood risk, we found that the federal mapping process, its overreliance on historical data, and political influence over the updating of maps can lead to maps that don't fully represent an area's risk. FEMA's maps are essential tools for identifying flood risks, but they have significant gaps that limit their effectiveness. One major limitation is that they don't consider flooding driven by intense bursts of rain. The maps primarily focus on river channels and coastal flooding, largely excluding the risk of flash flooding, particularly along smaller waterways such as streams, creeks and tributaries. This limitation has become more important in recent years due to climate change. Rising global temperatures can result in more frequent extreme downpours, leaving more areas vulnerable to flooding, yet unmapped by FEMA. For example, when flooding from Hurricane Helene hit unmapped areas around Asheville, North Carolina, in 2024, it caused a huge amount of uninsured damage to properties. Even in areas that are mapped, like the Camp Mystic site in Kerr County, Texas, that was hit by a deadly flash flood on July 4, 2025, the maps may underestimate their risk because of a reliance on historic data and outdated risk assessments. Additionally, FEMA's mapping process is often shaped by political pressures. Local governments and developers sometimes fight to avoid high-risk designations to avoid insurance mandates or restrictions on development, leading to maps that may understate actual risks and leave residents unaware of their true exposure. An example is New York City's appeal of a 2015 FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps update. The delay in resolving the city's concerns has left it with maps that are roughly 20 years old, and the current mapping project is tied up in legal red tape. On average, it takes five to seven years to develop and implement a new FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map. As a result, many maps across the U.S. are significantly out of date, often failing to reflect current land use, urban development or evolving flood risks from extreme weather. This delay directly affects building codes and infrastructure planning, as local governments rely on these maps to guide construction standards, development approvals and flood mitigation projects. Ultimately, outdated maps can lead to underestimating flood risks and allowing vulnerable structures to be built in areas that face growing flood threats. New advances in satellite imaging, rainfall modeling and high-resolution lidar, which is similar to radar but uses light, make it possible to create faster, more accurate flood maps that capture risks from extreme rainfall and flash flooding. However, fully integrating these tools requires significant federal investment. Congress controls FEMA's mapping budget and sets the legal framework for how maps are created. For years, updating the flood maps has been an unpopular topic among many publicly elected officials, because new flood designations can trigger stricter building codes, higher insurance costs and development restrictions. In recent years, the rise of climate risk analytics models and private flood risk data have allowed the real estate, finance and insurance industries to rely less on FEMA's maps. These new models incorporate forward-looking climate data, including projections of extreme rainfall, sea-level rise and changing storm patterns – factors FEMA's maps generally exclude. Real estate portals like Zillow, Redfin, and now provide property-level flood risk scores that consider both historical flooding and future climate projections. The models they use identify risks for many properties that FEMA maps don't, highlighting hidden vulnerabilities in communities across the United States. Research shows that the availability, and accessibility, of climate data on these sites has started driving property-buying decisions that increasingly take climate change into account. As homebuyers understand more about a property's flood risks, that may shift the desirability of some locations over time. Those shifts will have implications for property valuations, community tax-revenue assessments, population migration patterns and a slew of other considerations. However, while these may feel like changes being brought on by new data, the risk was already there. What is changing is people's awareness. The federal government has an important role to play in ensuring that accurate risk assessments are available to communities and Americans everywhere. As better tools and models evolve for assessing risk evolve, FEMA's risk maps need to evolve, too. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Jeremy Porter, City University of New York Read more: Why Texas Hill Country, where a devastating flood killed more than 120 people, is one of the deadliest places in the US for flash flooding Why it can be hard to warn people about dangers like floods – communication researchers explain the role of human behavior The aftermath of floods, hurricanes and other disasters can be hardest on older rural Americans – here's how families and neighbors can help Jeremy Porter has nothing to disclose.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Is your house in a flood zone? This map has the answer
Flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster in the United States, and it doesn't take a major storm to create major problems. Now, a free tool makes it easier than ever to check whether your property is at risk. The FEMA Flood Map Service Center offers an interactive map that allows anyone in the U.S. to enter their address and see if they live in a designated flood zone. The tool can also be used to explore other areas, making it helpful for those planning a move, managing a rental property or checking on family or friends in another region. "The FEMA Flood Map Service Center (MSC) is the official public source for flood hazard information produced in support of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)," FEMA said on its website. "Use the MSC to find your official flood map, access a range of other flood hazard products, and take advantage of tools for better understanding flood risk." Flood maps aren't set in stone. FEMA works with local communities through its Risk MAP program to collect updated data on flood hazards. As weather patterns shift and development continues, flood zones can change, which can put new properties in the path of floodwaters. What to do if you are in a flood zone It doesn't take feet of water to cause thousands of dollars in damage. Even an inch of floodwater inside a home can lead to ruined flooring, structural issues and long-term concerns like mold. "Most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage," FEMA said. "Flood insurance is a separate policy that can cover buildings, the contents in a building, or both, so it is important to protect your most important assets - your home, your business, your possessions." Flood insurance can be expensive, but it is important when flooding strikes. In Texas, only around 7% of all homes are covered under flood insurance, meaning some people severely impacted by the recent deadly flooding could be responsible for the damage to their properties. If you find your home is in a flood-prone area or you simply want to be better prepared, experts suggest following the RISK framework: •R: Reduce your risk: Take action around your property to lower the chance of flood damage when heavy rain strikes. This ranges from having a working sump pump in your basement to reporting clogged storm drains on your street. •I: Insure your risk: Talk with a representative with your home insurance company to assess your needs. Some homeowners may want to purchase flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). •S: Share information on risk: Talk with your neighbors who may face a similar flood threat. •K: Know your risk: Use tools like FEMA's Flood Map Service Center to understand the risk of flooding in your area. Residents can also contact local officials and emergency management offices for more specific information for their location.
Politico
3 days ago
- Business
- Politico
A new challenge for flood insurance
Presented by Editor's note: Morning Money is a free version of POLITICO Pro Financial Services morning newsletter, which is delivered to our subscribers each morning at 5:15 a.m. The POLITICO Pro platform combines the news you need with tools you can use to take action on the day's biggest stories. Act on the news with POLITICO Pro. QUICK FIX Devastating floods in Texas are exposing a growing problem that Congress may have to weigh when considering overhauling the National Flood Insurance Program. As extreme weather and flooding become more frequent in areas where homeowners don't typically hold federal flood insurance policies, policymakers could be forced to look at how to make the NFIP more attractive to non-coastal homeowners. However, this could tax the program even more as it nears its $30.4 billion debt ceiling. The floods in Texas and continued cleanup from the deluge in North Carolina have brought the issue front and center as Congress begins to figure out how to sustain a program that acts as the country's de facto risk management tool for flood events. Only about 2 percent of Kerr County, Texas, and 1.5 to 7 percent of surrounding counties, the main area impacted by the Texas flooding, are insured, leaving a large majority of the estimated 65,000 residential structures uncovered, according to data from the NFIP. 'It just exposes the flood insurance gap, and that we all need to continue to do a better job of making sure that people realize that floods can happen anywhere, and they do happen, they're devastating, and so insurance is one way you can help protect the financial future of your family or small business,' said David Maurstad, former senior executive of the NFIP under the Biden administration. NFIP provides 95 percent of all flood insurance policies in the country, but the program has been subject to a cycle of short-term reauthorizations by Congress. The next deadline is Sept. 30, marking the 34th reauthorization in eight years. Lawmakers have avoided tackling a long-term strategy to improve the NFIP, which is chronically in billions of dollars of debt to the Treasury and is being pushed closer to a breaking point with every new natural disaster. The aftermath of flooding in places outside of coastal areas prone to hurricanes may force policymakers to confront the new reality that could add even more pressure to the embattled program: If property owners in communities surrounding the areas impacted by the flood in Texas follow the typical trend, some may start looking to buy NFIP policies. But expanding access to the program won't be easy. One of the main barriers to flood insurance policies is people's willingness to pay the price. NFIP's new pricing model, Risk Rating 2.0, implements additional flood risk variables and 'is mandated by Congress to set rates that are actuarially sound to reflect each covered property's true flood risk and are fairly distributed based upon individual risk levels,' according to the program's website. The average NFIP premium is $786 per year, according to FEMA data from 2023. Risk Rating 2.0 has gotten some flak from lawmakers. In June, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and nine other colleagues demanded an end to the policy. They said that NFIP premiums have increased in every state and 'by FEMA's own estimates, 77 percent of all NFIP policies now pay more than under the old system.' Congress has 'got to look at [NFIP], and they've got to incentivize it, or something else a little more so you can start to get more coverage across the country' not just in the traditional coastal areas, said Chris Steubing, executive director of the Texas Floodplain Management Association. NFIP talks are ongoing, both insurance subcommittee chairs, Rep. Mike Flood (R-Neb.) and Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), have previously told POLITICO, and both members want to make progress this year. But no concrete plan has materialized yet. 'I'm concerned that there's a lot of people out there who might consider buying flood insurance if it was less expensive,' Rounds said. IT'S FRIDAY — Feel free to send any tips about insurance, financial services or small business to Katherine at khapgood@ And as always, send MM tips and pitches to Sam at ssutton@ Driving the day The Washington International Trade Association holds a virtual discussion, 'Former Trade Negotiators Unpack the July 9 Tariff Deadline,' beginning at 9 a.m. … Treasury's monthly budget statement will be released at 2 p.m. … Vietnam: deal or no deal? — 'Vietnam thought it had a preliminary deal with the U.S. to lower its tariff level substantially. Then, at the last minute, President Donald Trump raised the rate,' report Daniel Desrochers, Phelim Kine and Ari Hawkins. 'As a result, the Vietnamese government still has not formally accepted a key part of the agreement the president touted on social media last week, despite Trump's claim in the post that the terms had been agreed to by Vietnam's leader, Tô Lâm, according to four people familiar with the discussions…' Vought Pressures Powell Over Fed HQ Renovation — A key Trump official said Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has 'grossly mismanaged' the institution and demanded more information about the central bank's renovation of its headquarters in Washington, Bloomberg reports. 'The President is extremely troubled by your management of the Federal Reserve System,' Russ Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, wrote in a letter addressed to Powell on Thursday. 'Instead of attempting to right the Fed's fiscal ship, you have plowed ahead with an ostentatious overhaul of your Washington D.C., headquarters.' The Economy ICYMI — From Sam: 'Tariff inflation hasn't shown up. Here's why it matters for Trump and the Fed.' Counterpoint — Unlimited Funds Co-Founder, CEO and CIO Bob Elliott — a frequent flyer around MM — published his own (paywalled) analysis Thursday contending that consumers are already seeing tangible effects from tariff-related price increases. Based on Elliott's calculations, 'the rise in tariffs should have created a 1.5 percent price increase on core goods and a 1.9 percent increase on durable goods prices.' Dimon tells Europe: 'You're losing' — JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon warned European leaders they have a competitiveness problem and that they are currently 'losing' the battle to rival the US and China, per the Financial Times. 'Europe has gone from 90 percent US GDP to 65 percent over 10 or 15 years. That's not good,' Dimon said at an event in Dublin organized by the Irish foreign ministry. 'You're losing.' On The Hill Possible quick crypto win for Trump — President Donald Trump is set to notch his first big legislative win on cryptocurrency policy next week, as House Republicans prepare to accept a Senate bill to create new rules for stablecoins, Jasper Goodman reports. The chamber is set to vote early next week on the Senate's GENIUS Act, which would create the first-ever U.S. regulatory framework for so-called stablecoins that are pegged to the value of the dollar. The bill, which passed the Senate last month with bipartisan support, is poised to become the first major crypto regulatory measure ever adopted by Congress. Gould confirmed as OCC head — The Senate on Thursday approved Jonathan Gould's nomination to serve as Comptroller of the Currency, making him the first confirmed head of the agency since 2020, per Jasper. At the regulators Happy big banks — The Federal Reserve is seeking comment on a new supervisory framework for the largest U.S. banks. 'Nearly two-thirds of the large financial holding companies are not 'well managed' despite having capital and liquidity levels substantially above regulatory requirements,' Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman said in a statement. 'The proposal would generally require a deficiency in either a large bank holding company's capital or liquidity ratings, in addition to a deficiency in its governance and controls, in order to be classified as not well-managed.' Outgoing Financial Services Forum President and CEO Kevin Fromer — whose organization represents the largest U.S. banks — praised the proposal as a 'welcome development to help focus supervision on material, financial risks.' Jobs report Eileen Braden has been named the new head of U.S. government relations at JPMorgan Chase, where she'll be tasked with leading the integration of the bank's federal and state government relations. Braden joined JPMorgan in 2017 and previously led the bank's state and local government relations team. M&T Bank Corp. has named Sam Mayper as a senior vice president of federal government relations. Mayper was previously a vice president at the Independent Community Bankers of America.
Boston Globe
3 days ago
- Business
- Boston Globe
Floods come again. Is it time to get flood insurance?
First things first, what is flood insurance? Standard homeowner insurance generally covers water damage, but that's different from flood damage. Flood insurance is offered through a separate policy and specifically covers property damaged by a flood. What's the difference between water damage and flood damage? Advertisement Water damage can be as simple as a pipe leaking or a washing machine breaking and damaging belongings. A flood has a specific description, defined by the National Flood Insurance Program as 'a general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of two or more acres of normally dry land area or of two or more properties.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Do I need to get flood insurance? It depends. People who live in a designated floodplain face higher flood risk and should consider getting flood insurance -- if they don't have it already. The government has created an Even if your house is not within high-risk zones, you might be close to one. In that case, you might still want to get flood insurance. Advertisement In other cases, your house may not be near a high-risk flood zone, but it could still be at risk of flooding if, for example, it's at the bottom of a hill or a cul-de-sac. Again, you might consider flood insurance. How do I get flood insurance? Many homeowners insurance brokers offer flood insurance in a separate policy. If you can't find a reasonable private policy, the federally-run National Flood Insurance Program is an option. The federal insurance is usually cheaper than private policies, but has lower coverage limits. How much does it cost? The average flood insurance cost in Massachusetts is $1,142 per year from the NFIP program, according to the personal finance company, Properties located in flood zones but at higher elevations might qualify for reduced policy rates. You can request an elevation inspection through What about coverage? The downside to purchasing flood insurance through the NFIP is its coverage cap. The maximum building property coverage is $250,000 and content coverage of $100,000. Private insurers can offer a much higher coverage, but it comes with a cost. Motor vehicles are not covered by flood insurance, but auto policies with comprehensive insurance typically cover flood damage. I want to sell my property, should I cancel my flood insurance? Not yet! If you purchased your flood insurance through NFIP, you may be eligible for a grandfather rule. This rule means the agreed policy price is locked and won't increase when transferred to a new homeowner, which could be a selling point. If you cancel your insurance, the next homeowner might have to pay a lot more. Advertisement What about the future? Climate change is accelerating natural hazards. scientists agree. Wildfires, hurricanes, storms and floods are more common and brutal each year. In 2024, Many homeowners insurance companies Yogev Toby can be reached at
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry shares thoughts following FEMA Review Council meeting
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The Federal Emergency Management Agency has played a role in Louisiana Storm Relief for decades, providing the state with about $47 billion since 2003, according to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The FEMA review council along with Gov. Jeff Landry, who is not a member of the council, says the program has not served its purpose properly in recent decades. 'Here we are, some 20 years later, and yet we're still talking about the flawed system of bureaucracy that FEMA is still enveloped in,' Landry said. River parish residents sue Formosa Plastics over burial site for their descendants During the meeting, Chair of the FEMA Review Council Secretary Kristi Noem echoed President Donald Trump's wishes to eliminate the program. Landry believes that as of now, the program will stay intact following the council's recommendations. 'You know, I've always been let's fix what's broken,' Landry said. However, he says, if FEMA were to be eliminated, Trump would replace it with a more streamlined program with no federal money lost. 'He recognized that there needs to be efficiencies in a program because every dollar that is either fraudfully taken or ill spent means someone else doesn't get the money that they need. We don't want the greedy taking from the needy,' Landry said. Landry says he plans to spend more time focused on the National Flood Insurance Program, something that has greatly contributed to the homeowner's insurance crisis in Louisiana and surrounding coastal states. 'We have a coalition that's been built of states that has been trying to get to congress to say listen we need to fix the system,' Landry by day with Super BUCK Moon by night for Thursday Judge Seeber bridge to fully close for repairs: DOTD Walmart recalls about 850,000 water bottles after 2 people blinded Three fall into water at Glacier National Park while taking photo: rangers Iconic cereal maker WK Kellogg selling to Ferrero for $3B Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
