If you haven’t bought flood insurance, you’re not alone

Sept. 01--Fewer people are buying flood insurance, according to data from the National Flood Insurance Program gathered by the Associated Press.

Since 2012, the number of flood insurance policies nationwide has dropped 10 percent to 4.9 million properties covered. The Federal Emergency Management Agency estimates 10 million properties should be covered.

The National Flood Insurance Program requires properties with federally backed mortgages within special flood hazard areas to have insurance through the program.

Federal floodplain maps are updated every few years based on hydrology, hydraulics of waterways, infrastructure improvements and area topography. The latest Kansas City floodplain maps were updated earlier this year.

According to the Kansas City water department, nearly 2,100 city addresses are in a floodplain. In Jackson County, the average premium in 2017 was $683.

Here are the trends for buying flood insurance locally:

-- Jackson County had a 17.3 percent decrease from 2012 in flood insurance policies; 5.8 percent of 4,713 homes in hazardous flood zones are covered.

-- Platte County had a 30.8 percent decrease in flood insurance policies; 6.3 percent of 1,183 homes in hazardous flood zones.

-- Cass County had a 20.3 percent decrease in flood insurance policies; 4.3 percent of 1,600 homes.

-- Clay County had a 5.2 percent decrease in flood insurance policies; 9.9 percent of 2,548 homes.

-- Johnson County had a 14.2 percent decrease in flood insurance policies; 7 percent of 3,416 homes.

-- Wyandotte County had a 15.8 percent decrease in flood insurance policies; 7.2 percent of 591 homes.

Kelsey Ryan: 816-234-4852, @kelsey_ryan

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