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FEMA Recommends Florida Homeowners Carry Flood Insurance

Jacksonville has repeatedly seen some neighborhoods experience flooding during severe weather. This photo was shot on June 7, 2020 and shared with WJCT News by Riverside Avondale Preservation.
RIVERSIDE AVONDALE PRESERVATION
Jacksonville has repeatedly seen some neighborhoods experience flooding during severe weather. This photo was shot on June 7, 2020 and shared with WJCT News by Riverside Avondale Preservation.

Hurricane season officially starts Tuesday, June 1, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency is urging Florida residents to buy flood insurance as soon as possible.

FEMA National Flood Insurance Program Senior Executive David Maurstad said most homeowner policies don’t cover flooding — and that it takes 30-days for a separate flood policy go into effect.

“You can purchase a flood insurance policy. If you live in Florida, I can tell you, you need one, where it can flood an inch; just an inch of water in your home can cause up to $25,000 in damage,” he said.

The average flood insurance premium this year in Florida is around $700, according to Maurstad.

Right now, only 20% of Florida residents have flood insurance. 

More information about obtaining flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program is available here.

Michelle Corum can be reached at mcorum@wjct.org, 904-358-6308 or on Twitter at @MCorumonME.

Michelle Corum joined WJCT as "Morning Edition" host in 2012 and has worked in public broadcasting as an announcer and reporter for public radio stations in Lawrence, Kansas, and Interlochen, Michigan. She also manages WJCT's Radio Reading Service for sight-impaired listeners.