Berg Fights for Protection for Flood Victims

Press Release

Congressman Rick Berg today offered an amendment to the Flood Insurance Reform Act that would protect flood insurance holders in the event of long-lasting flooding and unexpected water releases, as have been experienced in North Dakota and other Midwestern states this spring.

Berg's amendment, introduced with Rep. Lee Terry (R-Neb.), would protect individuals who have purchased flood insurance less than 30 days before the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) declares a "flood in progress" and have not sustained damage or loss to property within the 30-day waiting period required.

"FEMA's current policy fails to account for a long-lasting flood event like the one we have seen along the Missouri River," Berg stated on the House flood this afternoon. "The Terry-Berg amendment would protect these individuals who have played by the rules. We need responsible policies that help plan for the uncertainty of natural disasters and we also need to protect and help people."

Under current law, flood insurance rules only pay claims to existing coverage once FEMA declares a "flood in progress." Individuals who have purchased flood insurance and have yet to sustain property damage, but are still within the 30-day waiting window at the time of FEMA's declaration, would be unable to receive coverage even if actual property damage did not occur until after the 30-day waiting period.

Residents along the Missouri River were significantly affected by this rule this spring, after FEMA determined that flooding had started June 1 after the Army Corps of Engineers began "higher than normal releases." Because of existing rules, individuals who had not purchased policies by the beginning of May were unable to claim damages, even if property loss or damage had occurred 30 days after the policies had been purchase.

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