As hurricane season starts
FEMA urges insuring for flood damage



ALBANY COUNTY — Floods are the number-one natural disaster in the United States, according to FEMA, yet flood damage is not covered by most homeowner’s insurance.

As hurricane season starts, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is promoting the National Flood Insurance Program.
"Most insurance does not cover flooding," said Leif Skoogfors, a public information officer in FEMA’s Albany office.
"Over 50 percent of flooding is not related to a natural disaster," he said, adding it can be caused, for example, from runoff as a result of development.
"In your county," Skoogfors said of Albany County, "one-half of 1 percent of people who could be flooded have signed up for flood insurance. They’ll basically be out of luck," he said of the other 99.5 percent.
Skoogfors went on to say, "FEMA will help if it’s a big enough disaster. But it takes time and you’ll likely get just a loan."

Most New Yorkers who had property damage from the April nor’easter flooding did not have flood insurance, according to federal and state disaster recovery officials.

Of the over 5,000 people who have registered for assistance in New York State, only 11 percent said they had flood insurance to help cover their losses, according to Marianne Jackson, federal coordinating officer for FEMA.
Unlike with FEMA aid, the National Flood Insurance Program, set up by the federal government in 1968, will "pay you immediately," said Skoogfors.

Subsidized by the federal government, and sold by local insurance agents, it generally costs between $100 and $500 annually, Skoogfors said.

Homeowners, business owners, and renters can purchase flood insurance as long as their community participates in the program. Residents do not have to live in a flood plain to buy the insurance.
Skoogfors advised visiting the FEMA website, www.FloodSmart.gov."You just type in your address and you get an idea of what the risk is," he told The Enterprise.

The site also allows visitors to get an estimate of what the flood insurance policy may cost.

In the past five hurricane seasons, from 2002 to 2006, insured flood losses in New York State totaled more than $137.4 million, according to FEMA. Policies across the state have increased 23 percent in the past year, to nearly 134,000 as of March, 2007. However, New York has more than seven million households, meaning only 2 percent are covered.

In addition to recommending the purchase of flood insurance, FEMA advises:

— Learn your flood risk by visiting FloodSmart.gov;

—Plan for evacuation by practicing a route and asking someone out of state to be a family contact in case of emergency;

— Move important objects and papers to a safe place, storing valuables where they can’t get damaged;

— Conduct a thorough home inventory, documenting belongings in case you need to fill out a flood insurance claim. For more information, visit www.knowyourstuff.org;

— Build an emergency supply kit with food, bottled water, first-aid supplies, medicines, and a battery-operated radio. Visit www.ready.gov for a complete disaster supply checklist; and

— Reduce flood risk through home improvements, lowering the risk of sewer backup, electrical problems, and basement flooding.