Messer Applauds Senate Passage of Bipartisan Flood Insurance Relief for Hoosiers

Press Release

Last night the Senate passed legislation to provide financial relief for hundreds of Hoosier homeowners effected by extreme hikes in flood insurance premiums. The House-drafted Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act (HFIAA) passed in the Senate 72-22. It rolls back some of the most extreme provisions of a 2012 National Flood Insurance Program overhaul referred to as Biggert-Waters.

"I'm glad to see Congress working in a bipartisan manner to get things done that make sense for hard working families in our Districts," said Congressman Luke Messer. "This bill gives many middle-class families some peace of mind and will allow flood insurance premiums to gradually increase instead of skyrocketing."

Facts about the HFIAA:

Repeals provisions of Biggert-Waters
Reinstates grandfathering, eliminated by Biggert-Waters, so homeowners who built their home to code at the time of construction are not unfairly punished because of changing FEMA flood maps
Property owners who win appeals over the new FEMA flood maps will be reimbursed as will those who were charged higher flood insurance rates on homes that were built before the new FEMA flood risk maps were drawn
Eliminates the sales trigger that was causing new owners to face unmanageable premium hikes and harming the housing market

The bill now awaits the President's signature and is expected to be signed into law.

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