NFIP's Ranks Swell with Policyholders

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) now is insuring more than five million Americans, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which administers the flood program.

In the last two years, the NFIP's number of policies in force has increased by more than 11 percent. Unsurprisingly, the strongest growth has been in Florida, Texas, and Louisiana. David Maurstad, NFIP administrator and FEMA mitigation director, credited consumers, insurance agents, lenders, real estate agents, state insurance commissioners, industry leaders, and the news media with getting the message out.

“The program's growth could not have been achieved without a concerted effort by the NFIP and the program's partners, who have worked to encourage residents across the nation to understand the risks of flooding and learn about the limitations of traditional insurance policies,” Maurstad said. “Unfortunately, we've had a number of catastrophic natural events over the past few years which also made people very aware of flooding risks.”

Though the progress was heralded, Maurstad noted that only 40 percent of homes in high-hazard flood areas are currently covered by flood insurance. The NFIP has settled nearly 250,000 flood insurance claims since the 2005 hurricanes.

“The five-million mark is a positive step in the right direction, but there are still far too many Americans who are not protected,” said Maurstad. “As we enter yet another hurricane season, it is critical that we all remain focused on our goal to ensure residents protect themselves from the effects of flooding.”