Flood Insurance To Be A Hot Topic Come Election Time

Consumers need to pay separate for flood insurance, which can be expensive on top of paying for homeowners insurance. The price of flood polices has been a hot topic in the political realm as of late, according to USA Today. The recent changes to the Homeowners Flood Insurance Affordability Act has been used as a talking point in the state Senate race which is between Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., and Rep. Bill Cassidy, R-La.

The bill was signed into law in March and is responsible for capping annual increases for flood insurance premiums at 18 percent. Both Landrieu and Cassidy are vying for a Louisiana Senate seat in November, and Joshua Stockley, a political scientist at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, said the discussion will hinge on the flood insurance act.

"This is an issue that both will use, and have been using, to say, 'Look, here's an example of what I've been able to accomplish in Washington, D.C.,'' Stockley told USA Today. "They see it as a positive that they can accentuate. But I don't think either campaign realistically is using this issue as the issue by which they're going to win.''

Although the passage of the flood act should help homeowners save a little more money, there is still more work to be done for flood insurance coverage. Craig Fugate, the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency at the Department of Homeland Security, said that because of budget cuts and the lack of communication between local and state governments, the new maps that are required under the new flood insurance measures could take some time to complete, according to the Federal Times.

Landrieu said she will work with FEMA to provide them with the necessary information and resources to complete the maps.