National Flood Insurance is vital to property owners

Members of Congress are due back in Washington this week and Realtors® need to let them know that the National Flood Insurance Program is critical to the real estate industry. Please respond to NAR’s Call-for-Action today to tell Congress to reauthorize the NFIP.

As we watch the tragic events unfold throughout Texas and Louisiana, we’re reminded how devastating flooding can be to families and businesses and that many communities rely on the NFIP to help them rebuild after a terrible disaster such as Hurricane Harvey.

Congress is only in session 12 days before the NFIP expires on Sept. 30. The last time the NFIP lapsed, across the country about 1,400 residential and commercial transactions a day were delayed or terminated – that’s nearly 40,000 transactions a month!

Pennsylvania property owners need the NFIP as well. The commonwealth is 12th in the U.S. in the number of NFIP policies and fifth in the nation in the number of flood claims filed. Flood claims have been filed in 66 of the 67 counties in Pennsylvania.

So far, more than 3,200 Pennsylvania Realtors® have responded to this Call-for-Action. Thank you and congratulations to the 13 local associations that have had more than 20 percent of their members respond to the Call-for-Action: Bradford Sullivan, Butler, Cambria Somerset, Central Susquehanna Valley, Clearfield Jefferson, Elk Cameron, Huntingdon, Lawrence, McKean, North Central Penn, Reading-Berks, York and Adams Counties and West Branch. But we need to hear from everyone! Your quick response is urgently needed. Let’s work together to make sure the NFIP is reauthorized.