Flood Insurance

The National FloodInsurance Program (NFIP)

TheNFIP is a federal program enabling property owners in participating communitiesto purchase insurance protection against losses from flooding. This insuranceis designed to meet the escalating costs of repairing damage to buildings andtheir contents caused by floods. Participation in the NFIP is based on anagreement between local communities and the federal government. Localcommunities must adopt and enforce a floodplain management ordinance to reducefuture flood risks to new construction in special flood hazard areas. Inreturn, the federal government will make flood insurance available within thecommunity as a financial protection against flood losses. 

Whatis a flood?

"Flood"is defined in the Standard Flood Insurance Policy (SFIP), in part, as a generaland temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of normally dry landareas from overflow of inland or tidal waters or from the unusual and rapidaccumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source.

Flood Insurance CoverageAvailable Limits of Liability

As of Feb. 8, 2006, thefollowing coverage limits are available: 

 

Emergency Program

Regular Program

Building Coverage

 

 

Single-family dwelling

$35,000

$250,000

Other residential

$100,000

$250,000

Non-residential

$100,000

$500,000

Contents Coverage

 

 

Residential

$10,000

$100,000

Non-residential

$100,000

$500,000

Source: National Flood Insurance Program.

National Flood Insurance Program Claims 1978 Through April 30, 2009

State

Number of Claims

Alabama

36,255

Alaska

458

Arizona

3,840

Arkansas

5,112

California

43,336

Colorado

2,033

Connecticut

15,683

Delaware

3,592

District of Columbia

104

Florida

227,353

Georgia

12,362

Hawaii

4,085

Idaho

626

Illinois

39,048

Indiana

14,678

Iowa

10,057

Kansas

6,254

Kentucky

17,929

Louisiana

390,345

Maine

4,258

Maryland

14,203

Massachusetts

26,758

Michigan

9,339

Minnesota

9,668

Mississippi

54,247

Missouri

39,908

Montana

1,359

Nebraska

3,621

Nevada

1,414

New Hampshire

3,250

New Jersey

82,738       

New Mexico

965

New York

80,111

North Carolina

61,795

North Dakota

10,128

Ohio

21,743

Oklahoma

9,904

Oregon

4,747

Pennsylvania

54,296

Rhode Island

3,348

South Carolina

27,244

South Dakota

1,889

Tennessee

6,849

Texas

230,850

Utah

801

Vermont

1,096

Virginia

31,308

Washington

12,131

West Virginia

23,537

Wisconsin

6,387

Wyoming

378

Total

1,703,583

Source: National Flood InsuranceProgram

North Carolina Hurricane History - Insured Property Damage

Date

Hurricane

Damages

Estimated Loss

2004 (Aug. 9-14)

Hurricane Charley

Wind, flooding

$25,000,000

2003 (Sept. 18-19)

Hurricane Isabel

Wind, flooding

$170,000,000

2002 (Sept. 20- October 12)

Hurricane Kyle

Wind, tornadoes

$2,500,000

1999 (Sept. 14-16)

Hurricane Floyd

Wind, tornadoes, flooding

$1,400,000,000

1999 (Aug.29-Sept.7)

Hurricane Dennis

Wind, tornadoes, flooding

$28,000,000

1998 (Aug. 26-27)

Hurricane Bonnie

Wind, tornadoes, flooding

240,000,000

1997 (July 18-24)

Hurricane Danny

Wind, hail, tornadoes, flooding

$15,000,000

1996 ( Sept. 5-8)

Hurricane Fran

Wind, tornadoes, flooding

$1,310,000,000

1996 (July 12-13)

Hurricane Bertha

Wind, tornadoes, flooding

$100,000,000

1995 (Oct. 4-5)

Hurricane Opal

Wind, tornadoes, flooding

$35,000,000

1993 (Aug.31-Sept. 1)

Hurricane Emily

Wind, flooding

$30,000,000

1991 (Aug. 18-20)

Hurricane Bob

Wind, tornadoes, flooding

$2,000,000

1989 (Sept. 17-22)

Hurricane Hugo

Wind, tornadoes, flooding

$645,000,000

1986 (Aug. 17-18)

Hurricane Charley

Wind, flooding

$3,000,000

1985 (Sept. 26)

Hurricane Gloria

Wind, flooding

$12,500,000

1985 (Aug. 15-18)

Hurricane Danny

Wind, tornadoes, flooding

$1,000,000

1985 (July 22-25)

Hurricane Bob

Wind, tornadoes, flooding

$1,500,000

1984 (Sept. 11-14)

Hurricane Diana

Wind, flooding

$33,000,000

1979 (Aug. 30-Sept. 6)

Hurricane David

Wind, tornadoes, flooding

$7,500,000

1972 (June 17-25)

Hurricane Agnes

Wind

$100,000

1971 (Sept. 30)

Hurricane Ginger

Wind

$1,500,000

1960 (Sept. 9-11)

Hurricane Donna

Wind

$1,500,000

1958 (Sept. 27)

Hurricane Helene

Wind

$5,000,000

1955 (Sept. 18-19)

Hurricane Ione

Wind

$4,500,000

1955 (Aug. 11-13)

Hurricane Connie

Wind

$5,200,000

1954 (Oct. 15-16)

Hurricane Hazel

Wind

$25,000,000

1949 (Aug. 26)

Hurricane

 

$1,000,000

Source: Property Claim Services, NorthCarolina Department of Insurance, National HurricaneCenter.

Top 10 NorthCarolina Catastrophes

Date

Perils

Estimated Loss

1999 (Sept. 14-16)

Hurricane Floyd: wind, tornadoes, flooding

$1,400,000,000

1996 (Sept. 5-8)

Hurricane Fran: wind, tornadoes, flooding

$1,310,000,000

1989 (Sept.17-22)

Hurricane Hugo: wind, tornadoes, flooding

$645,000,000

1998 (Aug. 26-28)

Hurricane Bonnie: wind, tornadoes, flooding

$240,000,000

2002 (Dec. 5-6)

Ice storm

$230,000,000

2003 (Dec. 18-19)

Hurricane Isabel

$170,000,000

1993 (March 11-14)

Wind, hail, tornadoes, snow, ice, freezing

$130,000,000

1989 (May 3-6)

Wind, hail, tornadoes, flooding

$125,000,000

1996 (July 12-13)

Hurricane Bertha: wind, tornadoes, flooding

$100,000,000

1988 (Nov. 25-28)

Wind, hail, tornadoes

$85,000,000

 

1996 (Jan. 31-Feb. 6)

Wind, snow, ice, tornadoes, freezing

$80,000,000

Source: Property Claim Services.