Flood Insurance
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is the primary underwriter of flood insurance. Hurricanes over the last decade have placed the program over $23 billion in debt. The program is currently funded through September 30, 2021.
However, it is important to note that in the event the program lapses, all existing Flood Insurance plans would continue to operate, and claims would be paid. But no new plans could be added to the program during the lapse. Congressman Bilirakis is working in a bipartisan manner to ensure that doesn’t happen, as it would be catastrophic for our state and regional housing market and economy.
The majority of constituents who participate in this program live in modest homes, many of which are not even on the water. While the program received a short-term extension and Congress provided emergency funding to keep it operational, it is imperative to ensure the long-term sustainability of this critical program.
In the 115th Congress, the House passed NFIP legislation which would have been beneficial to Florida policyholders. The Congressman was able to share the concerns outlined by Pasco and Pinellas counties with House leadership, and was able to secure many rewrites to the bill that would benefit Floridians. This bill would have ensured the continuation of the program for five years, with safeguards to ensure affordability, encourage private providers to enter the market, and give greater transparency to the program. Unfortunately, the Senate did not pass the bill, however, the Congressman remains committed to the long-term success of this vital program.
Some constituents find that they are paying premiums much higher than their risk of flooding dictates. This is because the rate tables NFIP uses to determine premiums are outdated and are not based on reliable data. Congressman Bilirakis has previously filed the Flood Insurance Integrity Act, legislation which would help fix this problem. The House is once again working on another NFIP bill, and Congressman Bilirakis is hopeful that a bipartisan compromise can be reached. He understands that we must continue to work towards long-term reauthorization of NFIP to ensure stability in the housing market in our area.
across industries, and facilitate broadband deployment on federal lands.
More on Flood Insurance
Bilirakis Leads Bipartisan Effort to Lower Flood Insurance Rates for Pinellas County Residents
Bilirakis Champions Technological Advancement in Flood-Prone Areas
Tropical Storm Hermine caused significant destruction throughout the Tampa Bay area. Official estimates indicate that the storm left almost $89 million in damages throughout Pasco County alone. After personally visiting flooded areas throughout my District, I contacted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Commander Kirk to ask that their agency serve as a resource in helping to craft a workable solution to provide relief. It is important that leaders at the federal, state and local levels work together to find solutions.
Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) and Congressman David Jolly (FL-13) have introduced legislation to protect Florida homeowners from impending increases in flood insurance rates. The Flood Insurance Rate Increase Suspension Act (H.R. 4866), which was filed on March 24 by the bay area Republicans, would delay any increase in flood insurance premium rates for certain properties for 12 months.
Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) is delighted to announce that his efforts to help flood victims in Pasco County continue to yield positive results. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently approved an initial $50,000 investment to prepare the Federal Interest Determination (FID) for the Pasco County infrastructure project. This is the first step in obtaining implementation dollars from the Corps.
Washington, D.C. – Earlier today, Congressman Bilirakis issued the following update to constituents in Congressional District 12 regarding the availability of flooding relief: