FEMA unveils first flood insurance update in 50 years

Storm surge surrounds a home as Hurricane Delta makes landfall in Port Arthur, Texas, on Friday, Oct. 9, 2020. (Photo: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg)

(Bloomberg) — On Friday, April 2, the Federal Emergency Management Agency unveiled the details of an overhaul to its beleaguered National Flood Insurance Program, the initiative’s first major update in 50 years. Most homeowners in the program will have lower or stable premiums, but roughly 11% of homes — largely the highest value ones — will see increases in premiums of at least $10 a month. Those could continue to rise until they reach a cap of $12,000 a year.

The NFIP serves roughly 5 million homes, most of which are in high-risk flood areas. Premiums have risen steadily over the years, and yet the program is more than $20 billion in debt, in part because of climate change-related phenomena such as sea-level rise and increased storms and heavy precipitation events, which lead to more intense and more widespread flooding.