Flood Basics still causing pain for some
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Congress created the National Flood Insurance Program (the "NFIP") to help make flood insurance more affordable in areas prone to flood damage. FEMA oversees the program and writes the terms of the Standard Flood Insurance...more
Catastrophic events (CAT) include hurricanes, floods, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tornados, and wildfires (See Figures 1-4 below). “CAT season” is the phrase experts commonly use to describe the...more
The National Flood Insurance Program’s authorization to issue new flood insurance contracts will expire on Sept. 30 unless Congress votes to extend it. Congress has been unable to enact a long-term extension of parts of the...more
On September 22, 2023, Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation (A.1967/S.5400) amending the Property Condition Disclosure Act (“PCDA”), which effectively eliminates a seller’s option to provide a residential homebuyer with a...more
The insurer’s right of subrogation is equitable in nature, even if not based in contract. However, since the insurer steps into the shoes of its insured and is limited to the rights of its insured, an integral part of the...more
The new year brought a series of ferocious storms that ravaged the California coast for weeks. By mid-January, this so-called “atmospheric river” caused at least eight million Californians to be under flood watch as wind and...more
California is only the most recent region to experience torrential rainfall and flooding. In 2022, there were five 1-in-1,000-year flooding events that devastated communities, reshaped lives, and forced business owners to...more
In the face of winter—and all the wet weather that comes with it—FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program would like everyone to understand the risks of flooding. Flooding has occurred across many parts of the country (yes,...more
You’ve gone away on vacation, and return home to standing water, musty smells, and damaged property. A burst pipe has flooded your home—what do you do?...more
In late September, 2022, Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida and traveled across the state. The storm brought with it significant storm surge that caused substantial flooding. The storm also was accompanied by...more
Flooding is the most common natural disaster in the United States, with every state having experienced some aspect of it in recent years1. Storm surge flooding, which occurs particularly in coastal areas as the result of...more
Since 2016, the United States has had at least one landfalling hurricane each year and a total of 19 landfalling hurricanes. According to the Insurance Information Institute, five of the top 10 costliest hurricanes have...more
Did you know that a residential structure is three times as likely to experience a flood than a fire over the 30-year life of a mortgage? In fact, flooding is the most common type of natural disaster in the United States and...more
When performing inspections of buildings or structures after a catastrophic event, such as a hurricane, several types of damage conditions may be encountered. The unpredictability of storms can present many challenges when...more
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently reversed a federal Texas court’s order granting summary judgment in favor of the insured, holding that its “deductible buyback policy” was a “named perils” policy that did not...more
Briefcase: Quarterly Real Estate Update - Cases and News including: ..London Trocadero (2015) LLP v Picturehouse Cinemas and others ..Terence James Macey v Pizza Express (Restaurants) Ltd ..Kensquare Ltd v Boakye...more
After hitting the shores of Louisiana with winds of up to 172mph in late August, Hurricane Ida’s remnants barreled up to the northeastern United States, leaving waves of destruction in its wake. The deluge of rain—more than...more
Flood exclusions may not apply when floods are preceded by winds strong enough to independently cause the loss, according to a recent decision issued by the Western District of Louisiana. In Doxey v. Aegis Security Ins. Co.,...more
For the first time in nearly a decade, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Farm Credit Administration, and the National...more
Litigation arising out of Hurricane Harvey (Harvey) has been ongoing since the first lawsuit was filed within days of Harvey making landfall on August 25, 2017, inundating Houston with an unprecedented amount of rainfall and...more
On May 19, 2020, at 5:46 p.m., a dam on the Tittabawassee River in Edenville, Michigan collapsed. The resulting floodwaters devastated the cities of Edenville and Midland and damaged or destroyed hundreds of properties....more
Since the California Supreme Court’s 2019 Oroville decision, which narrowed inverse condemnation liability for public agencies, several court decisions have followed suit. ...more
When the National Weather Service names a storm heading in your direction, you know to expect wind and water. This can create a quandary for property insurers. Is water damage from a named windstorm caused by the flood or the...more
As part of legislation to fund various federal government agencies after December 20, 2019, the House of Representatives and Senate agreed to extend the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) until September 30, 2020....more
IN RESPONSE TO RECORD-BREAKING FIRE LOSSES IN 2017, THE CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR SIGNED THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER ACT OF 2019 INTO LAW ON OCTOBER 3, 2019, WHICH NOW TAKES IMMEDIATE EFFECT TO GOVERN THE USE OF OUT-OF-STATE ADJUSTERS...more