FEMA: Almost 230,000 in New Jersey Have Flood Insurance

As flooding from Hurricane Irene caused heavy damage in New Jersey, federal officials report almost 230,000 property owners in the state have flood insurance.

Flooding is not covered by homeowners insurance but by special flood policies purchased through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

FEMA says most of the policies are in the southern coastal counties. Cape May and Ocean counties each have just over 50,000 properties insured, and Atlantic just over 30,000.

Up north, about 14,000 properties have flood insurance in Bergen County, 4,500 in Passaic and just over 3,100 in Somerset.

Homeowners with flood damage who didn’t have flood insurance may still be able to get help from the federal government. But they’ll have to wait to see if President Obama approves a declaration requested by Gov. Chris Christie.