Hurricane Helene exposes Southeast's flood insurance gap
Hurricane Helene has left thousands in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina struggling to recover due to low flood insurance rates, highlighting a growing crisis worsened by climate change.
Avery Ellfeldt reports for POLITICO.
In short:
- Less than 2% of households in the hardest-hit counties of Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina have federal flood insurance.
- Flood insurance is sold separately from homeowners’ insurance, leaving many low-income households vulnerable to devastating financial loss.
- FEMA aid offers limited relief, while other forms of assistance, like HUD funds, take years to arrive.
Key quote:
“These problems are not going to get any better in the future. They’re going to get worse.”
— Andrew Rumbach, housing researcher, Urban Institute
Why this matters:
As climate change intensifies flooding, the lack of flood insurance in high-risk areas threatens the financial security of millions of Americans. Without coverage, recovery from extreme weather events will grow increasingly difficult, deepening inequality in affected communities.
Read more: Climate change impacts insurance availability in high-risk areas
