Latest Flood Headlines

All the headlines from our Flood Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Costs, Confusion Keep Flood Insurance Numbers Low in Iowa

Jul 9 2008 // A combination of costs and confusion keeps many Iowans from buying federal flood insurance.Only about 1 percent of Iowans owned flood insurance when last month’s record flooding struck. More than 4,000 homes in Cedar...

Iowa Court Deadlines Delayed Due to Widespread Flooding

Jul 9 2008 // The Iowa Supreme Court has issued an order delaying deadlines for the days that a half-dozen district court offices were closed due to flooding.That means the courts, lawyers and other people involved in cases in those...

National Insurer Wants to Include Flood Coverage in Home Policies

Jul 7 2008 // One of the nation’s largest insurance companies is lobbying Congress for permission to sell policies that cover damage from both wind and flood water, a plan billed as a way for insurers and homeowners to avoid...

Yes, You Are in a ‘Flood Zone!’

Jul 7 2008 // “I don’t need flood insurance.” “I’m not in a ‘flood zone.'” Or, “I don’t need flood insurance because my mortgage company said I don’t need it.”Those...

Flooded Midwest’s Impact Could Be Felt at Dinner

Jul 7 2008 // Producers might benefit from the $3.8 billion disaster fund that is part of the 2008 farm law. Farmers must have crop insurance to qualify for the program.We have all watched with utter dismay and compassion as Midwest...

USDA Mulls Options on Midwest Flood Aid

Jul 7 2008 // The U.S. Agriculture Department (USDA) will look “at everything possible” to aid Midwest farmers hurt by the worst flooding in more than 15 years, Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer said in late June.Agricultural...

Iowa Agents in Flooded Areas Meet the Challenges

Jul 7 2008 // Midwest agents with offices located in flooded areas are facing the challenge of “staying afloat,” so to speak, during the devastation of what some have called the 500-year flood event. Iowa has the distinction...

Survey: Despite Need Only 17% of Americans Have Flood Insurance

Jul 7 2008 // Record widespread flooding across the Midwest has once again highlighted the catastrophic damages that flooding can cause. Yet a survey conducted for the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) reveals that only 17...

It Figures

Jul 7 2008 // 14,500Dog bites now account for one-third of all homeowners insurance liability claims, costing $356.2 million in 2007, up 10.5 percent from the previous year, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.). An...

Flood Damage Not Limited to Flood Zones

Jul 7 2008 // “I don’t need flood insurance; I’m not in a ‘flood zone.'” Or, “I don’t need flood insurance because my mortgage company said I don’t need it.”These statements are made...

National Insurer Wants to Include Flood Coverage in Home Policies

Jul 7 2008 // One of the nation’s largest insurance companies is lobbying Congress for permission to sell policies that cover damage from both wind and flood water, a plan billed as a way for insurers and homeowners to avoid...

Yes, You Are in a ‘Flood Zone!’

Jul 7 2008 // “I don’t need flood insurance.” “I’m not in a ‘flood zone.'” Or, “I don’t need flood insurance because my mortgage company said I don’t need it.”Those...

So Far, So Good

Jul 7 2008 // The Midwest is recovering from what may be some of the worst flooding in recorded history, but Texas and the Oklahoma Panhandle are suffering from drought. After a wild and wooly winter and spring, Arkansas seems to have...

Yes, You Are in a ‘Flood Zone!’

Jul 7 2008 // “I don’t need flood insurance.” “I’m not in a ‘flood zone.'” Or, “I don’t need flood insurance because my mortgage company said I don’t need it.”Those...

N.H. Flood Maps Outdated, FEMA-Sponsored Study Finds

Jul 3 2008 // Federal maps used by most New Hampshire communities to determine the scope of once-per-century floods are sometimes decades out of date.A study recommends updating them to steer development away from risky areas. “If...

West Virginia Court Revives 2001 Flood Lawsuits Against Loggers

Jul 3 2008 // The West Virginia Supreme Court has revived a pair of lawsuits seeking damages from timber, mining and land companies for devastating 2001 floods.The court reinstated a 2006 jury verdict that improper logging practices...

U.S. Agriculture Chief Cites Obstacles to Aid to Farmers Hurt by Flooding

Jul 2 2008 // The U.S. agriculture secretary says he is concerned that legal hurdles prevented much immediate federal help for Midwestern farmers faced with serious setbacks because of flooding.“I think everybody is frustrated...

Use of ‘100 Year’ and ‘500 Year’ Flood Terms Misleads Insureds, Say Officials

Jul 2 2008 // Fifteen years ago, after the Midwest was swamped with what was pronounced a “100-year” or even a “500-year” flood, some folks figured they would never again see such a disaster in their lifetime....

Non-Profits Say Resources Very Low After Midwest Flooding Disaster

Jul 2 2008 // Dallas, Texas-based Ketchum, Inc., a non-profit consultant in the area of fundraising, recently conducted a survey with over 50 not-for-profit organizations in the Midwest flood zone. The results showed that resources have...

Iowa Homeowners with Flood Damage May Lack Funds for Repairs

Jul 1 2008 // Experts believe that many of Iowa’s flood-damaged homes could be repaired , if their owners can find the cash.Record flooding this month ravaged thousands of Iowa homes, leaving behind mud and debris. Most of the...