NFIP Reaches Milestone in Resolving Claims for Katrina and Rita

Officials of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) reported that they have met a significant milestone in resolving claims filed by victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The NFIP is administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

To date, 92 percent of the 177,000 claims submitted, totaling $11 billion for Hurricane Katrina have been paid. Nearly 10,500 NFIP claims have been submitted for Hurricane Rita. To date, more than $328 million, or 86 percent, has been paid out for these approved claims.

“We are pleased to be able to resolve such a large percentage of claims only 6 months following the disaster,” said Gil Jamieson, FEMA deputy director for gulf coast recovery. “This is a tremendous step toward the journey of mending the lives of so many Louisianans who were impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.”

Property owners living in areas participating in the NFIP may purchase flood insurance from most major insurance carriers who sell homeowners or business policies, or they may visit www.FloodSmart.gov for a listing of agents that sell flood insurance.