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FloodSmart Heightens Awareness Throughout the Hurricane Season

Hurricane season can be the most active and costly time of year when it comes to flood damage. The last two hurricane seasons have shown just how damaging floods can be and how important flood insurance is. The four hurricanes that hit Florida in the second half of 2004 (Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne) and the three major hurricanes that hit the Gulf Coast in 2005 (Katrina, Rita, and Wilma) impacted NFIP policyholders more seriously than at any other time since the program was created.

Five million property owners have taken the step to protect their investments in their homes and businesses by purchasing a flood insurance policy. And, although awareness of flood risk and flood insurance is higher than ever, it is not high enough to protect everyone. The NFIP's goal is to impress upon property owners everywhere the value of flood insurance protection.


Proactive Outreach

This year, the NFIP's FloodSmart marketing campaign started hurricane season outreach earlier than in the past, beginning with extensive public awareness efforts on May 1, 30 days before the official start of the 2006 hurricane season. The timing of this effort was to remind consumers that, because there is a 30-day waiting period for a new policy to go into effect, the perfect time to purchase a policy was then, before the beginning of hurricane season. Another wave of media contact took place on June 1, "opening day" for the hurricane season.

This year, FloodSmart introduced a new television public service announcement (PSA) addressing the potential for flooding along the entire Eastern seaboard and the Gulf Coast. The spot featured musicians from New Orleans who experienced firsthand the devastation caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. It encouraged consumers to protect themselves during what has been predicted to be another devastating hurricane season. The states targeted to receive this PSA were Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.

FloodSmart uses a variety of ways to reach consumers with the NFIP's flood protection message. All FloodSmart marketing efforts are designed to drive consumers to visit the FloodSmart.gov website. Since the beginning of the campaign, more than 2.8 million people have visited the site. A new page created on FloodSmart.gov this year is dedicated to hurricane season preparedness, post-flood event response, and claims information.


Immediate Claims Response

It is important to note that policyholders are served by the NFIP from the point that they purchase a policy to the point that their claim is paid, and all stages in between. In the unfortunate case that a flood occurs, the campaign distributes claims information immediately to the local media in the affected areas to make sure that policyholders get the information they need in a timely fashion. FloodSmart's post-flood response has become a cornerstone of the NFIP's marketing efforts, serving customers when they need help the most and demonstrating policy benefits to those without coverage.

Floods cause some of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history. It is very important that property owners are fully aware of their flood risk well before the first raindrops fall or snowmelt fills rivers and streams. The NFIP is dedicated to making sure that property owners are aware of their risk and are able to protect their most important investments.
 Last updated on December 1, 2006