WUFT News News and Public Media for North Central Florida from the University of Florida in Gainesville
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is encouraging Florida residents who are in or near a flood zone to purchase flood insurance as peak hurricane season approaches.
David Maurstad, Senior Executive of the National Flood Insurance Program, explained the importance of purchasing a policy and understanding flood risks.
“It’s very important for folks to plan in advance, know what their flood risk is, have that (conversation) with their insurance agent or insurance company representative so that they make sure they know they have the right coverage in place for when that flood disaster happens,” Maurstad said.
Affordability has been a concern with the program for many years.
The insurance program was created to assure the participating communities in the program flood insurance are available and the cost is reasonable.
Flood insurance policies typically take 30 days to go into effect. Residents should visit https://www.floodsmart.gov/hurricanes for more information.
