Millions facing flood risks lack coverage as federal insurance costs climb

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Set us as preferred In eastern Kentucky, Libby Honeycutt listened upstairs to the sound of glass breaking below as floodwaters tore apart her house.Twenty-six miles to the south, Ronald Conley rescued his dogs from his elevated house with a pontoon boat.

Jennifer Campbell heard the screams from across the river of a neighbor desperate for rescue.They all remember the horrifying speed of that July 2022 flood that also isolated so many by knocking out cell service, leaving people unable to learn the fate of loved ones.And then the sun rose, the waters receded and thousands of people had to figure out what to do about their damaged homes and upended lives.That work was made harder for the vast majority hit by the downpours, including these three people, who did not have flood insurance.Nationwide, just 2.4% of properties are covered by 4.5 million federal flood insurance policies, an Associated Press analysis shows — but 8.4% are at severe or extreme risk of flooding.

The gap illustrates the foundational flaws in a program that fails to balance affordability, flood protection and cost to taxpayers.It’s getting worse.The count of policies is down roughly 500,000 in five years.

Price increases are a big factor.This downward trend collides with the rising risk of flooding across many areas of the United States, driven by climate change that can strengthen hurricanes and worsen downpours far from the coasts.The problem is especially bad in eastern Kentucky, where in some ZIP Codes, no more than 5% of properties are covered by flood insurance, even though hundreds or thousands of buildings are at extreme risk of flooding, according to figures from the federal government and data provided exclusively to the AP by the risk analysis group First Street.It’s not just Appalachia — coastal areas including parts of southern Louisia...