Louisiana Disaster Declarations in Last 18 Months Involved Nearly 90% of Parishes

With hurricane season fast approaching, the Louisiana Department of Insurance is pointing out that in the last 18 months, nearly 90 percent of the state’s parishes have been included in major disaster declarations.

The LDI is advising policyholders to take steps now to better prepare for the threat of severe weather.

“Over the last 18 months, federal Major Disaster Declarations have been issued for 56 of our 64 parishes as a result of severe storms, tornadoes and flooding – and 14 of those parishes were struck twice. None of us has the luxury of thinking ‘it won’t happen to me’,” said Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon. “It’s not enough to know that you have homeowners insurance – now is the time to review your policy, know what your deductibles are, check if you have flood insurance and make a home inventory.”

According to FEMA, more than half of the dwellings damaged in last August’s flood were located in moderate- and low-risk areas. Data compiled by the Louisiana Department of Insurance shows that as of Dec. 2016, 23.4 percent of Louisiana residences have NFIP policies.

In three-quarters of the state’s parishes, the percentage take-up in the program is below 20 percent while the highest participation is in the Greater New Orleans area.

To view a map of residential take-up in the National Flood Insurance Program, please click here.

To view a map of parishes where major disaster declarations were issued because of flooding in 2015 and 2016, please click here.

Source: LDI