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Purchasing flood insurance is a wise decision for the home or business owner. Like homeowners' insurance, it's protection you hope you never have to use. But if flooding occurs, you will be protected as outlined in the details of your policy. This claims guide was created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which oversees the National Flood Insurance Program, to help you through the process of filing a claim and appealing the decision on your claim, if necessary.
The NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program) and FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Administration) do a pretty good job later in this book of explaining the purpose and uses of this book. Flood is an inconvenient event that seeps in and destroys families, structures, and communities. The NFIP is the primary insurer for those who wish to insure against the devastation and financial damage caused by flood. This manual is used by policy holders, insurers, adjusters, and others who have a role in helping protect our communities from flood loss. As a publisher based in Houston, Texas I've seen my fair share of what flood can do first hand. The government does not print and distribute copies of this manual. So I've stepped in as a publisher, recognizing that sometimes a written book is better than e-reader. It is my hope that this book will aid those who do the hard work of writing the flood insurance policies, adjusting the claims after an event, and rebuilding their lives to understand and benefit from the National Flood Insurance Program.
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is a federal program that allows property owners to purchase insurance protection against losses from flooding. This insurance is designed to provide an alternative to costly, taxpayer-funded disaster assistance. Congress established the NFIP with the passage of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 that provides the NFIP authority and guidelines. All changes since 1968 have been made as amendments to this act. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administers the NFIP. Participation in the NFIP is based on an agreement between local participating communities and the federal government. The community agrees to implement and enforce floodplain measures (ordinances and laws) to reduce future flood damage to new construction in Special Flood Hazard Areas; the federal government will make flood insurance available within the community as financial protection against future flood losses. In 1981, FEMA initiated efforts to once again involve the private-sector insurance industry in the NFIP. A cooperative effort between FEMA and insurance company representatives led to the creation of the Write Your Own (WYO) Program in July 1983. The WYO Companies issue and service federally backed Standard Flood Insurance Policies under their own names, collect premiums, and handle and pay claims. FEMA pays the WYO Companies a fee for these services. In August 1983, FEMA extended an invitation to all licensed property and casualty companies to participate in the WYO Program for fiscal year 1984. The NFIP now has two programs—the NFIP Direct Program and the WYO Program. 1) NFIP Direct Program The program that deals with the issuing and servicing of flood insurance policies, and the handling of resultant claims, directly by the federal government is known as the NFIP Direct Program. The NFIP Servicing Agent assists and advises agents and adjusters who handle Direct Program policies. The NFIP Servicing Agent also manages the Group Flood Insurance Policy Program and the policies for buildings that are identified as Severe Repetitive Loss Properties. 2) WYO Program The WYO Program now accounts for approximately 90 percent of all flood policies. The NFIP Bureau and Statistical Agent assist and advise the WYO Companies. However, this does not diminish the authority of the WYO Company or relieve the company of its obligations. The WYO Company still collects the premium, issues the policy, and provides adjustment and payment for claims. In addition to providing flood insurance for property, the NFIP is actively engaged in the evaluation of existing and potential flood hazards and their long-term reduction. Accordingly, various zones of flooding probability and severity have been established. Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) are produced to show the projected elevation to which flooding is likely to occur in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). Community officials are responsible for issuing building permits and must keep the FIRM and make the information available. In some instances, the local agent may have the maps available.
The purpose of the NFIP Claims Manual is to improve clarity of claims guidance to WYOs, vendors, adjusters, and examiners so that policyholders experience consistent and reliable service. The manual provides processes for handling claims from the notice of loss to final payment.