Oklahoma City, OK – (RealEstateRama) – Homeowner and renter insurance policies do not cover damages incurred during flooding. To protect themselves and their family from future financial loss, Oklahomans are advised to purchase and maintain flood insurance coverage. Several requirements are in place to help ensure financial recovery after a flood.
The requirement to purchase flood insurance coverage applies to insurable buildings and personal property damaged by a flood disaster event and located in areas at high risk of flooding called Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs).
Homeowners who receive federal flood disaster assistance must acquire and maintain flood insurance for their building. If they sell their home at any time after receiving flood assistance, they must inform the new owners of the requirement to maintain flood insurance coverage. In most cases, an existing flood insurance policy transfers to the new owner with no lapse in coverage.
Renters who receive federal flood disaster assistance must maintain flood insurance coverage for as long as they live at the flood-damaged rental property. The flood insurance requirement ends if they move from that property.
Anyone who receives flood disaster assistance through FEMA’s Individuals & Households Program (IHP) may qualify to receive a Group Flood Insurance Policy (GFIP) from FEMA. They must meet an income needs requirement and be ineligible for a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan to receive a Group Flood Insurance Policy. If these requirements are met, they will receive a Certificate of Insurance showing they have flood insurance through the GFIP. The GFIP premium is deducted from their disaster assistance grant.
A GFIP covers both the building and contents, or just contents if the individual is a renter. There is a separate deductible of $200 for the building and $200 for the contents.
The GFIP provides flood coverage for up to three years. A policyholder may choose to upgrade coverage (up to $250,000) by switching to an individual flood insurance policy at any point during the term.
At least 30 days before the GFIP expires, the policyholder is required to apply for and maintain a Standard Flood Insurance Policy (SFIP) through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to avoid a lapse in coverage. If they do not maintain coverage, they may not be eligible for any future disaster assistance.
Insurance companies and agents who offer flood insurance can provide general information about policies and how to sign up. For more information about the National Flood Insurance Program and flood insurance, call the NFIP Call Center at 800-427-4661 or visit fema.gov/business/nfip.
Those with questions about the Group Flood Insurance Policy program should contact the National Flood Insurance Direct Call Center at 800-636-6620.
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FEMA’s mission is to help before, during and after disasters.
Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing ">
