With peak of hurricane season on horizon, officials urge North Carolinians to consider flood insurance

Two months into the Atlantic hurricane season and approaching the peak period for storms, officials are encouraging North Carolinians to reassess their risk and consider flood insurance.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), just one inch of water can cause $25,000 in damage and there have been floods in 98% of counties in America.

“Increasingly, a flood is something that’s likely to happen to you over a 30-year mortgage,” said Jeff Jackson, who leads flood insurance operations for the National Flood Insurance Program, a program managed by FEMA with a network of more than 50 insurance companies.

Jackson says the floodplain is changing and many homeowners may not know they are at risk.

“In our program, 40% of all the claims come from outside the high-risk area,” Jackson said. “With climate change, that’s becoming more and more the case and we’re seeing more intense storms happening in places that typically it’s been very uncommon,”

Most homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flood damage, potentially leaving residents underwater with unexpected bills.

Most flood insurance has a 30-day waiting period to go into effect.

“So this is a really great week to sign up for it because you would be covered as the peak of hurricane season is getting started,” Jackson said.

Dillon Amaya, a scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says this year may bring more severe storms than usual.

In addition to trends from human-caused climate change, the El Niño weather pattern this year is creating more fuel for hurricanes with unprecedented marine heat waves.

“We’re worried about how they may impact developing storms, particularly tropical storms in the North Atlantic,” Amaya said. “Typically, the warmer the water, the stronger the storm.”

The clock is ticking for hurricane preparation, with storm season in full-force through November 30th.

The median annual cost for flood insurance in North Carolina is about $750 per year.

Less than 4% of homes in the state are currently covered by flood insurance.