National Flood Insurance Program - Who's Eligible?

Feb 10, 2016

The NFIP aims to reduce the impact of flooding on private and public structures. It does so by providing affordable flood insurance and encouraging communities to adopt and enforce floodplain management regulations.

NFIP insurance is available to homeowners, renters, condo owners/renters, and commercial owners/renters. But in order to purchase a policy the residence or business must be in a community that participates in the NFIP. Missouri communities in the program are listed here — http://www.fema.gov/cis/MO.html. Other communities can request to be added if they meet certain criteria.

More than 70 private insurance agents or agencies in Missouri are certified to sell and service NFIP policies, including all of those listed on this link — http://www.fema.gov/wyo_company

Residents can also contact their own insurance agent or company to find out more about federal flood insurance or find an agent serving their area by filling out the One-Step Flood Risk Profile on the FloodSmart.gov home page (www.floodsmart.gov).

Costs vary depending on how much insurance is purchased, what is covered and the property's level of flood risk. Those in moderate- to low-risk areas can purchase a special Preferred Risk Policy (PRP) that provides building and contents coverage for one low-price. Typically, there's a 30-day waiting period from date of purchase before your policy goes into effect.

Why is an NFIP policy necessary if federal aid is available after a flood? Federal disaster assistance typically comes in the form of small grants or low-interest loans to help cover flood damage, not to fully compensate for losses. Even then, those grants and loans are only available if the president formally declares a disaster. NFIP policies are not dependent on a federal disaster declaration.

Flooding occurs in moderate- to low-risk areas as well as in high-risk areas due to factors like poor drainage systems, rapid accumulation of rainfall, snowmelt, and broken water mains. In addition to floods, NFIP policies also cover damage from mudflows. In fact, over 20-percent of all flood insurance claims come from areas outside of mapped high-risk flood zones.

NFIP policyholders who have questions about their flood insurance policy or the claims process, as well as disaster survivors who have general questions about the program, can contact the support hotline by calling toll-free 800-621-3362. For individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability using 711 or VRS, please call 866-337-4262. For individuals using a TTY, please call 800-462-7585.