As the people of Tennessee shoulder the burden of rebuilding after the destructive May 8 tornadoes, state agencies are stepping up their game to drill into the importance of flood insurance. The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) and the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) are spearheading efforts to educate the public on this front, particularly as the state sits in the shadow of a 14-year anniversary of catastrophic floods that claimed lives and livelihoods.
"We commemorate the lives that have been lost to severe weather and continue to dedicate ourselves to making strides toward greater preparedness when it comes to flooding," TDCI Commissioner Carter Lawrence said, according to a recent announcement. TEMA Director Patrick C. Sheehan echoes this sentiment, emphasizing that, after a flood disaster, insurance serves not just as economic protection, but as a critical resource for recovery. In the same announcement he stated, "Knowing your flood risk and understanding your vulnerability is the first step toward protection and peace of mind."
Officials point out that a common misconception among homeowners is that their standard insurance policies will cover flood damage, which, in fact, they will not. Lawrence and Sheehan are tackling this myth head-on, urging Tennesseans to get educated about the realities of flood insurance and the gaping void it can fill when disaster strikes.
To arm citizens with this crucial knowledge, resources have been made available at the FEMA website, where homeowners can assess their flood risk and explore their insurance options, a crucial step often overlooked until tragedy forces it into the spotlight. Finally, with more than $2 billion in damages still lingering in the minds of those who experienced the historical floods 14 years ago, TDCI and TEMA are working to ensure that financial ruin doesn’t compound the natural disasters that seem, increasingly, to be part of the landscape of Tennessee living.
For detailed information about the initiative and insights into how you can safeguard your home and assets, visit the TDCI website.
