DENTON, Texas –– If you have a National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) flood insurance policy that just expired, you may still be able to renew in full and then file a claim for losses due to Hurricane Laura or the next event with flooding potential. August is just the beginning of peak hurricane season, and preparing for peak hurricane season means having flood insurance. Call your insurance agent or company, or the NFIP Call Center at 1-800-427-4661 to determine if your policy is still within a renewal grace period.
NFIP policies typically have a 30-day grace period. The renewal premium must be paid, and policy must be renewed, before a claim can be made. Claims for losses that occurred during the grace period will be honored, provided the full renewal premium is received by the end of the grace period. Because budgets have been stretched thin due to COVID-19, FEMA extended the grace period from 30 days to 120 days for policies that have an expiration date between February 13, 2020, and June 15, 2020. For these policies, the renewal premium must be received within 120 days of the policy expiration date to avoid a lapse in coverage. Click here to read the March 28, 2020, grace period extension bulletin and don’t delay in renewing your policy if possible.
For example, for a policy that expired on May 9, 2020, the NFIP insurer must receive the renewal premium payment on or before September 5, 2020, to avoid a lapse and be eligible for claims. For a policy that expired on June 15, the last day of the grace period extension window, the NFIP insurer must receive the renewal premium payment on or before October 12, 2020, to avoid a lapse in coverage, and still be eligible for claims.
Purchasing flood insurance is one of the most important steps residents can take to protect the lives they’ve built. Just one inch of water in a home can cause more than $25,000 in damage. Most homeowner’s and renter’s policies do not cover flood damage. Call your insurance agent and get quotes for different levels of flood insurance coverage. To find a provider, call 1-800-427-4661 or visit www.floodsmart.gov. Don’t delay, new policies typically take up to 30 days to go into effect.