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Are You Covered? National Flood Insurance Set to Expire in September

Photo: FEMA via Wikimedia Creative Commons

At the end of September, the National Flood Insurance Program will expire unless Congress acts to re-authorize its funding. Many in the real estate and insurance industries say they're cautiously optimistic the federal flood insurance subsidy will be kept in place, but there’s no guarantee amid the chaotic climate in Washington. 

Losing the FEMA-administered program could affect as many as 1.8 million Floridians who could see mortgages for buying or selling a home delayed, insurance prices soar, and even denial when they go to renew their insurance. Flood insurance has paid out nearly $4 billion in claims to Floridians since 1978.

Jeff East with East and Greenwell Insurance, Inc. joins Gulf Coast Life to explain the National Flood Insurance Program, how it came about, and why it's vital for homeowners in Florida. He'll also offer his thoughts on what could happen when it comes to Florida flood insurance if the program were to expire.

Copyright 2020 WGCU. To see more, visit WGCU.

Matthew Smith is a reporter and producer of WGCU’s Gulf Coast Live.
Julie Glenn is the host of Gulf Coast Live. She has been working in southwest Florida as a freelance writer since 2007, most recently as a regular columnist for the Naples Daily News. She began her broadcasting career in 1993 as a reporter/anchor/producer for a local CBS affiliate in Quincy, Illinois. After also working for the NBC affiliate, she decided to move to Parma, Italy where she earned her Master’s degree in communication from the University of Gastronomic Sciences. Her undergraduate degree in Mass Communication is from the University of Missouri at Kansas City.
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