The Reluctant Tourist

The National Flood Insurance will expire on May 31st and Hurricane Season begins June 1st. This program expires every six months or so and  is usually resigned either the night before the expiration or a few days after.  This manages to cause great havoc and anxiety for buyers and sellers who have property transfers the first few days of June.  Not knowing if you will close on your house, not being able to close on you next house, having your sellers get all upset, buyers moving out of rentals with other tenants moving in on June 1st.  It is awful.  And then of course what if there is a hurricane on June 1st while Congress plays Russian roulette with this issue….Come on guys – surely you can find another football to play your games with.

From FEMA’s website:

30-Day Countdown to the 2012 Hurricane Season Begins May 2

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Every year, thirty days from the start of hurricane season, FEMA officials urge U.S. residents to prepare their homes and businesses for the heightened flood risks associated with hurricanes and tropical storms. This year, FEMA is placing more urgency in this message due to the expiration of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) on May 31, 2012, the day before the 2012 hurricane season begins on June 1st.

The authorization for the National Flood Insurance Program is scheduled to expire on May 31 unless Congress acts in advance to reauthorize it. The NFIP makes federally backed flood insurance available to homeowners, renters and business owners.  The NFIP identifies areas of flood risk; it encourages communities to implement measures to mitigate against the risk of flood loss; and it provides financial assistance to help individuals recover rapidly from flooding disasters.

Flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster to affect every state across the country. Severe weather has already brought significant flood events to many states in the U.S. As we continue to monitor conditions and respond to these events, we must also look forward to summer and hurricane-related weather patterns that will heighten flood risks for many.

FEMA also stresses that flood risks associated with hurricane season extend beyond the Gulf and Southeastern coasts.  The largest amounts of rainfall from hurricanes are often produced by slow moving storms that stall out miles from a shoreline as did Tropical Storm Lee in 2011.  In addition, last year Hurricane Irene caused major flooding over much of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast when it moved inland, with high winds and torrential rains.

FEMA is urging residents to purchase flood insurance now.  Flood insurance is available through more than 85 insurance companies in nearly 22,000 participating communities nationwide.  Most everyone can purchase flood insurance – including renters, business owners, and homeowners.  Flood insurance is also affordable.  The average flood insurance policy is around $625 a year. And in moderate- to low- risk areas, homeowners can protect their properties with low-cost Preferred Risk Policies (PRPs) that start at just $129 a year.  Individuals can learn more about their flood risk by visiting www.FloodSmart.gov or calling 1-800-427-2419.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Last Modified: Wednesday, 02-May-2012 08:45:23

Release Date: May 1, 2012
Release Number: HQ-12-033