Tag Archive for: group flood insurance

FEMA Group Flood Insurance from Harvey Expiring October 24

Harvey households with FEMA group flood insurance policies must buy standard policy by Oct. 24. Lack of coverage may affect eligibility for future disaster assistance.

Flooded Street by Julie Yandell. During Harvey.
Flooded Street during Harvey by Julie Yandell.

Three-Year Policies End in October

Approximately 6,690 Hurricane Harvey survivors have been notified that their Group Flood Insurance Policy (GFIP) will expire Oct. 24. These three-year policies end soon, so policyholders must plan now to switch to a standard flood insurance policy to ensure continuous flood insurance coverage.

Many people may not even know they have group flood insurance. FEMA provided the insurance to people awarded grants after Harvey and deducted the cost of the insurance from the amount of the grant.

Insurance a Condition for Future Disaster Assistance

Following the devastating disasters and hurricane season of 2017, FEMA purchased GFIP policies for thousands of disaster survivors whose homes were flooded. Part of the eligibility of receiving future financial assistance after a flood is that a homeowner or renter must obtain and maintain flood insurance to ensure that there is no lapse in coverage. If a property affected by a flood is sold, the new owners are required to have flood insurance for the property as well.

This means Harvey households who received a group policy need to purchase a new, standard flood insurance policy. Alternatively, they may obtain other flood insurance for at least the amount of assistance that they received for repairs and replacement of property. This keeps them eligible for future FEMA assistance. 

Those who received a GFIP policy as part of their FEMA disaster assistance after Harvey but don’t buy a standard flood insurance policy will likely not receive federal disaster assistance for home repairs if they experience another flood event. 

Flood Insurance Can Be Key to Recovery

Flood insurance policies are crucial to recover quickly following a flood event as homeowners and renters’ policies do not typically cover flood damage.

Additionally, flood insurance will pay claims regardless of whether there is a major disaster declaration. Flood insurance claims can be paid for such events as flash flooding, storm sewer backup, river overflow, storm surge, mudslides or tropical systems.

$69 Billion Paid by FEMA through NFIP

Since its inception in 1968, FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program has paid more than $69 billion in flood claims to help survivors rebuild their lives following flood events.

How to Learn Your Status and Find an Agent

  • To find an insurance carrier or agent, visit FloodSmart.gov, or call FEMA NFIP Direct toll-free, (800) 638-6620, option 2.
  • For more information about the National Flood Insurance Program and or insurance, call the National Flood Insurance General Call Center at 800-427-4661.
  • If you have questions about your Group Flood Insurance Policy call the National Flood Insurance Direct Call Center at 800-638-6620.

To find out if you have a flood insurance requirement:

  • Call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-3362 (voice, 711/VRS – Video Relay Service) (TTY: 800-462-7585).
  • Multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish).
  • The Texas Recovery Office GFIP Help Desk phone number is 877-503-6053.

If It Rains Where You Live, It Can Flood

Harvey impacted 41,500 square miles of Texas. If it rains, it can flood, which means all Texans should purchase or renew flood insurance policies. The 2020 hurricane season began June 1 and ends on November 30, but a policy protects you from financial losses from other flood events all year. Just 1 inch of water can cause $25,000 of damage to a home.

For additional information about Hurricane Harvey and Texas recovery, visit the:

Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/28/2020 with thanks for the reminder to Congressman Dan Crenshaw

1126 Days after Hurricane Harvey

Harvey Households Covered by FEMA Group Flood Insurance Should Buy Standard Flood Insurance by Oct. 24

Harvey households covered by FEMA group flood insurance should prepare now to buy standard flood insurance by Oct. 24. Lack of coverage may affect eligibility for future disaster assistance.

Photo of Harvey damage courtesy of Alexis Faust.

What is Group Flood Insurance?

Many families affected by Hurricane Harvey in August 2017 did not have flood insurance.

As part of its disaster assistance, FEMA provided Group Flood Insurance Policies (GFIP) to 6,704 households across counties impacted by Harvey.

Group Policies End October 24

These three-year policies end Oct. 24. So policyholders must now switch to a standard flood insurance policy to ensure continuous coverage. 

Those who received a GFIP policy as part of their FEMA disaster assistance after Harvey but don’t buy a standard flood insurance policy are at increased risk. They will likely not receive federal disaster assistance for home repairs if they experience another flood. Just 1 inch of water can cause $25,000 of damage to a home.

Purchasing a flood insurance policy is one of the best ways to protect from financial loss.

Flood Insurance Requirements for Harvey Households

Here are flood insurance requirements for Harvey households:

If you are a homeowner who received a GFIP policy: 

Flood insurance coverage must be maintained for the address of the flood-damaged property. The flood insurance requirement is transferred to any new owner of the address and continues for as long as the address exists. If you sell your home, call the NFIP direct servicing agency at 800-638-6620 to transfer your policy to the new homeowner. 

If you are a renter who received a GFIP policy: 

Flood insurance coverage must be maintained on the contents of the rental property for as long as the renter remains at the flood-damaged address. If you move from your damaged rental property, the flood insurance requirement is not transferred to the next renter.

How to Get or Renew an NFIP Policy

Contact your insurance agent to discuss the cost of a standard flood insurance policy. If you don’t have an agent, you can call 800-427-4661 for an insurance agent referral. Visit www.FloodSmart.gov or www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program for more information about flood insurance.

If You Received Disaster Assistance, You Must Maintain Flood Insurance

The National Flood Insurance Reform Act and FEMA regulations require applicants who receive federal financial assistance to buy and maintain flood insurance. This is as a condition to receive assistance for future flood damage to any insurable property for acquisition or construction purposes. If your household received disaster assistance after Harvey, and you live in a special flood hazard area, you must maintain flood insurance.To find out if you have a flood insurance requirement, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-3362 (voice, 711/VRS – Video Relay Service) (TTY: 800-462-7585). Multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish).

To learn more about GFIP, visit https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/133710.

Harvey impacted 41,500 square miles of Texas. If it rains it can flood. That means all Texans should purchase or renew flood insurance policies. The 2020 hurricane season begins June 1, but a policy protects you from financial losses from other flood events all year.

For More Information

For additional information about Hurricane Harvey and Texas recovery, visit:

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/27/2020 based on information from FEMA and Congressman Dan Crenshaw’s Office

912 Days after Hurricane Harvey

You May Have Group Flood Insurance and Not Even Realize It

People who receive individual assistance from FEMA after a disaster such as Harvey are required to have flood insurance. But some people who cannot afford flood insurance become covered under a group flood insurance policy and may not even realize it.

Flooded During Harvey and Again in Imelda

In the last two weeks, I visited numerous people along the East Fork and Caney Creek in less fortunate neighborhoods. They flooded in Harvey and then again during Imelda. For these people, the devastation is especially crushing because they could not afford flood insurance…or so they told me.

Home below Triple PG Sand Mine in Walden Woods between Caney and White Oak Creeks was almost knocked off its foundation during Imelda and suffered extensive damage.

Almost all of the people I interviewed have tried to rebuild homes out of pocket as money becomes available. Some do the work themselves to make money stretch further. They are also trying to replace vehicles lost in floods. For these folks, recovering from the second flood in two years is like climbing a financial Mt. Everest.

Group Vs. Individual Flood Insurance Policies

However, Dianne Innes Cooper, who used to work for FEMA, made me aware of their Group Flood Insurance Policies. Then Kaaren Cambio, Congressman Dan Crenshaw’s assistant, made some calls to FEMA to explore who is eligible.

In short, if you flooded during Harvey, received FEMA Individual Assistance (IA), and flooded again, you are most likely covered under a group flood insurance policy. You may be entitled to benefits even if you didn’t know about the policy.

Here is a FEMA Fact Sheet that discusses the ins and outs of Group Flood Insurance. There are several eligibility requirements, so check the sheet carefully.

Some key facts from the fact sheet:

  • The 36-month Group Flood Insurance Policy (GFIP) begins 60 days after the Presidential Disaster Declaration.
  • The flood insurance is transferrable to people who may buy the property, but not subsequent renters.
  • Applicants do NOT receive a copy of the actual policy, just a certificate of coverage.
  • Applicants do NOT have the ability to decline the GFIP.
  • People who accept SBA loans are NOT eligible for a FEMA-purchased GFIP certificate.
  • After the Group policy expires, you need to purchase individual insurance to continue coverage.

Most people who flooded during Harvey and again during Imelda would still be covered under a GFIP issued after Harvey.

For More Information and to Verify Coverage

If it sounds like you might be covered under a group policy, but aren’t sure, you can verify coverage. FEMA lists a hotline for disaster assistance: (800) 621-FEMA (3362).

Congressman Dan Crenshaw’s office can also make inquiries for you. However, before the Congressman can help, you must download and fill out a FEMA Privacy Release Form.

Kaaren Cambio from Congressman Crenshaw’s office will be at the FEMA meeting at the Kingwood Community Center tonight starting at 6:30. You can also call or email her at the Congressman’s office during normal business hours.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/15/2019, with thanks to Dianne Cooper and Kaaren Cambio

777 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 26 after Imelda.