Federal Disaster Relief and the National Flood Insurance Program

Americans have long felt the devastating financial burden of the catastrophic effects of flooding. With annual economic losses averaging a whopping 50 billion dollars per year, flooding has notoriously earned its place as the most costly, and unfortunately the most common, natural disaster to disrupt the United States. Flooding is the greatest financial danger among the possible hazards brought on by hurricanes, which often bring flooding hundreds of miles inland, placing communities that normally would not be affected by the strongest hurricane winds in great danger. A mere few inches of water due to flooding could mean damages costing upwards of five figures. The immediate response to a catastrophic flooding is critical and can mean the difference between a complete or insufficient recovery. 

Here, Melissa H. Luckman, Esq., Practitioner in Residence of the Touro Law Center Disaster Relief Clinic, addresses issues faced in the wake of a federally declared natural disaster, from a plaintiff's perspective.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and necessary amendments to the Act
2. Examine the NFIP Standard Flood Insurance Policy
3. Explore FEMA’s IHP disaster program and grant recoupment process 
4. Comprehend FEMA fraud and the Sandy Claims Review Process
5. Recognize the importance of the collaboration of the legal and non-legal non-profit agencies immediately post-disaster