FEMA to Delay Some Flood Insurance Premium Increases

Some flood insurance premiums required under a 2012 law now won’t be raised until the fall of 2015 at the earliest.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency says delays passed by Congress will put off higher premiums required by new flood maps.

The issue affects hundreds of thousands of homeowners who pay “grandfathered,” below-market rates for insurance because their homes were in compliance with earlier flood codes.

The the higher premiums required under the 2012 law have spooked many homeowners living near coastlines or in flood plains, threatening them with, in some cases, multifold increase in their premiums.

FEMA was required to delay starting work on implementing new premium increases on grandfathered properties by a provision written by Rep. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., and attached to the federal omnibus spending bill. Cassidy is running to unseat Landrieu this fall.

Other changes would take place as planned, including higher premiums for frequently flooded properties and businesses and on second homes.

And people getting subsidized premiums still won’t be able to pass them on to people who purchase their homes.