Iowa Towns Not Signing Up for Flood Insurance

A new report suggests that even though Iowa experienced record flooding this past year, 131 cities and counties have not signed up for national flood insurance.

The Associated Press says that many Iowa communities learned their lesson the hard way earlier this summer when the record-breaking floods overtook cities and towns. According to FEMA, 29 Iowans have been denied federal aid because their towns didn't participate in the program.

But AP says that while national flood insurance covers damage not covered by homeowners’ and renters’ insurance, it is not available for people to buy if their communities don’t join the program.

Bill Cappuccio, Iowa coordinator of the flood insurance program, told AP about a dozen communities have expressed interest recently, and about half of those have joined. And, despite the lack of participation, the state isn’t cracking down on those communities that haven’t signed up.

“That’s because most of these are small communities, with little or no development in their flood plains,” Cappuccio told AP.