Latest Flood Headlines
All the headlines from our Flood Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Environmental Groups Sue FEMA Over Oregon Flood Maps
Aug 6 2009 // The Audubon Society of Portland has filed a lawsuit against the Federal Emergency Management Agency for failing to ensure that its remapping of flood zones for the National Flood Insurance Program does not jeopardize...
Most Flooded St. Bernard Parish, New Orleans Homes Rebuilt
Aug 3 2009 // Through its annual curbside survey conducted in July, the University of New Orleans Geography Department has found that 61 percent of the homes in the Hurricane Katrina-flooded neighborhoods of New Orleans and in St....
As Homeowners Unable to Sell Become Landlords, Insurance Needs Change
Aug 3 2009 // As more homeowners are having trouble selling their homes in today’s real estate market, some are thinking about becoming landlords. A growing number of homeowners who need to relocate for a job or other reason are...
House Passes National Flood Insurance Extension Act
Jul 30 2009 // The U.S. House of Representatives passed the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Extension Act of 2009, H.R. 3139, which extends the program until March 31, 2010. The NFIP is currently set to expire on September 30,...
Louisiana’s Jefferson Parish Gets $7.2M to Raise Homes
Jul 30 2009 // Louisiana’s Jefferson Parish now has $7.2 million with which to raise 40 homes out of the danger of floods. The money was awarded to the parish by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Louisiana Recovery...
Washington Implements Flood, Disaster Protections
Jul 28 2009 // Washington bills that establish legal protections for consumers in the wake of future disasters went into effect this week. The flood insurance and states of emergency bills (Senate Bill 5417 and House Bill 1566) require...
Challenges to Anti-Concurrent Cause Clauses Linger in Katrina Lawsuits
Jul 27 2009 // Hurricane Katrina, in addition to causing unprecedented damage and destruction, added significantly to the workload of state and federal courts in Louisiana and Mississippi. Almost four years after the fact, those courts...
FEMA, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Disagree on Flood Damage Costs
Jul 21 2009 // Damage from last year’s record flooding in Iowa is estimated to be between $8 billion and $10 billion, and the total amount of federal disaster money allocated to the state is now more than $3 billion. Half of that...
Further Challenges to Anti-Concurrent Cause Clauses
Jul 20 2009 // Hurricane Katrina brought the question of the validity and applicability of ACCs to the forefront. Hurricane Katrina, in addition to causing unprecedented damage and destruction, added significantly to the workload of...
Legislation to Extend National Flood Program Introduced into Congress
Jul 10 2009 // Legislation that would temporarily extend the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) until March 31, 2010, was introduced into Congress yesterday. House Financial Services Housing Subcommittee Chairwoman Maxine Waters,...
Southwest Illinois Seeks Senator’s Help in Flood Mapping
Jul 9 2009 // Leaders in southwestern Illinois hope the state’s senior U.S. senator gets the region another delay in the publication of newly drawn Mississippi River flood maps. Once completed, the new Federal Emergency Management...
People
Jul 6 2009 // Jeffrey A. Vanderpool has been promoted to senior vice president and chief claims officer at Sunshine State Insurance Co. in St. Augustine, Fla. Vanderpool has served as vice president of caims since he joined the insurer...
Heavy Rains Trigger Flooding in Central Europe
Jul 1 2009 // According to a report from Risk Management Solutions, last week’s extremely heavy rainfall, which continued for three days over Central Europe, triggered severe flooding across parts of the Czech Republic, Germany,...
290 Landowners in West Virginia Flood Plain Offered Buyouts
Jun 30 2009 // After years of Dunloup Creek in West Virginia’s Fayette County constantly flooding, officials think they’ve found a solution: abandon the region. The federal Natural Resources Conservation Service and the...
State Auto to Offer Flood Insurance
Jun 30 2009 // Beginning June 30, Columbus, Ohio-based State Auto Insurance Companies will add flood insurance to the list of State Auto coverages available for home, business and farm offered through more than 3,400 independent...
Report on Federal Probe Into Deadly Katrina Flooding Released
Jun 29 2009 // An in-depth study by more than 150 experts commissioned by the Army Corps of Engineers to look into the catastrophic failure of the levees during Hurricane Katrina is done, though the report released June 26 divulged...
Index Insurance Seen Helping Poor Farmers Cope with Global Warming
Jun 26 2009 // A new form of insurance that covers risks such as droughts or floods could help small farmers in developing countries cope with worsening impacts of global warming, a U.N. backed report said on Wednesday. Under...
Microinsurance Industry Sees Profits from the Poor
Jun 25 2009 // Slum-dweller Krustin bin Juri lost everything when floodwaters swept through his home and shop on the banks of Jakarta’s filthy Ciliwung river two years ago. But when the next flood hits, and it will because Jakarta...
RMS ‘Underwriting Toolkit’ Provides Instant UK Property Risk Assessment
Jun 24 2009 // Risk Management Solutions has launched its “Underwriting Toolkit,” which it describes as “designed to help underwriters and pricing managers accurately assess and rate risk for individual buildings...
Fireman’s Fund Offers Surface and Flood Endorsement in Washington
Jun 19 2009 // Novato, Calif.-based Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co. is now offering a Surface Water and Flood endorsement to its Prestige Home Premier policyholders in Washington. Intense storms over the Pacific Ocean bring heavy...