The Risk Flooding Poses to Mississippi Homeowners

New federal flood maps may place thousands of Mississippi homeowners in high risk flood zones. MPB’s Phoebe Judge reports on what homeowners can do to protect themselves.

One in six acres of land in Mississippi is flood prone. Flooding can come from a variety of sources says Larry Wenzel with the National Weather Service,

“Inland flooding from that occurs from tropical events, you get flash floods from the intense thunderstorms, even this time of year when the Mississippi RIver if it really fills up.”

The problem with flooding is that flood damage is not covered under homeowners insurance; you have to buy a separate policy. Just over 75,000 households in Mississippi have flood insurance. Most of those policies come from the federally run National Flood Insurance Program. And the good majority of those who have flood insurance are obligated to by their mortgage companies because under FEMA flood maps, they are designated as living in a special hazard area. But just because you aren’t obligated to, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have flood insurance says Greg Wilson Repetitive Loss Specialist with FEMA,

“A lot of mortgage and insurance companies may have told individuals that it is not required, but just because it is not required for a term of the mortgage doesn’t mean it is not necessary, because the flooding can happen at any time for any number of reasons.”

Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney, is warning that anyone living in a flood plain should be buying insurance,

“You’ve got to be responsible and buy flood insurance, you cannot and should not avoid paying for flood insurance because you think the federal government is going to bail you out.”

FEMA is in the process of releasing new flood maps. Homeowners can access those new flood maps by contacting their county governments.