Thousands of US Communities Forgo Federal Flood Insurance | Insurify [Video]

Catastrophic inland flooding in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee has made headlines across the country in recent months. Severe flooding in areas not typically associated with flood problems may have Americans wondering if they should buy federal flood insurance.

But National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) coverage may not be available to everyone who wants it.

Nationally, 2,279 communities don’t participate in the voluntary program that provides insurance against flood damage, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and most homeowners policies won’t cover flood damage. Property owners in non-participating municipalities can’t buy federally backed flood insurance.

Often, non-participating communities are rural, and many have very small populations. Other communities may seem to have little to no risk of flooding, though some may be unaware of the true risk in their area.

Communities that don’t participate in the NFIP often “have horrible, inadequate flood maps,” Chad Berginnis, executive director …