Breaking the Cycle: Flooding, Infrastructure, and Climate Law in Practice
Flood Basics still causing pain for some
How Florida Zoning Regulations Can Encourage Development and Climate Change Resiliency
Condo Water Invasion: Potential Medical Liability?
Often, forensic accountants face practical challenges when calculating business interruption (BI) losses. These issues have been highlighted by recent claims following COVID-19 and the 2024 storm in the UAE which caused...more
In a rainy season, it's important to understand your flood risk. For insurance purposes, what is a flood? What proactive steps can be taken before a flood? How can you obtain the right insurance coverage?...more
Following Hurricanes Helene and Milton, impacted homeowners have received correspondence from their local building officials notifying the homeowners that their property is affected by the 50% Rule. Sometimes these are...more
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida on September 26, 2024, eventually making its way up to western North Carolina where it caused unprecedented damage. The estimated costs associated with these damages grow daily, with...more
The House and Senate on September 25, 2024 passed legislation that would extend key parts of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) until December 20, 2024. The extension is included in H.R. 9747, which also would...more
Congress created the National Flood Insurance Program (the "NFIP") to help make flood insurance more affordable in areas prone to flood damage. FEMA oversees the program and writes the terms of the Standard Flood Insurance...more
Catastrophic events (CAT) include hurricanes, floods, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tornados, and wildfires (See Figures 1-4 below). “CAT season” is the phrase experts commonly use to describe the...more
This podcast discusses flood regulations for institutions lending money on properties. While there are many federal laws, some key ones being the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 and the Flood Disaster Protection Act of...more
Disasters, natural or otherwise, are usually unexpected and leave little time for advance action. Hurricanes, named storms, floods, fire, and even crime, are types of disasters that communities across North Carolina may...more
The insurer’s right of subrogation is equitable in nature, even if not based in contract. However, since the insurer steps into the shoes of its insured and is limited to the rights of its insured, an integral part of the...more
The new year brought a series of ferocious storms that ravaged the California coast for weeks. By mid-January, this so-called “atmospheric river” caused at least eight million Californians to be under flood watch as wind and...more
In the face of winter—and all the wet weather that comes with it—FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program would like everyone to understand the risks of flooding. Flooding has occurred across many parts of the country (yes,...more
You’ve gone away on vacation, and return home to standing water, musty smells, and damaged property. A burst pipe has flooded your home—what do you do?...more
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has been publishing assessment reports describing expected climate change impacts and risks since 1990 and has warned of the growing risks from climate change in each...more
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently reversed a federal Texas court’s order granting summary judgment in favor of the insured, holding that its “deductible buyback policy” was a “named perils” policy that did not...more
After hitting the shores of Louisiana with winds of up to 172mph in late August, Hurricane Ida’s remnants barreled up to the northeastern United States, leaving waves of destruction in its wake. The deluge of rain—more than...more
One of the issues contributing to an increasingly volatile construction space for owners and developers is the cost and availability of insurance during and after construction of a project. As a result of accelerated climate...more
For the first time in nearly a decade, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Farm Credit Administration, and the National...more
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administers the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The NFIP offers insurance coverage for physical losses to buildings and/or contents caused by a flood. Over the years,...more
In the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act, which was signed into law on October 1, 2020, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) was extended until September 30, 2021...more
As previously reported, unable to agree on long-term reforms for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), at the end of last year Congress extended the NFIP through September 30, 2020, which is the end of the current...more
In 1955, the island community of Isle de Jean Charles, some 80 miles south of New Orleans, covered 22,000 acres. Since then, rising water levels and subsiding land have shrunk the island every year. Inch by inch and acre by...more
It is said that preparedness is the best protection against the dangers of a hurricane. Many Eastern North Carolina residents are taking the right precautions to protect their families, businesses, and property as...more
Governor Greg Abbott has signed into law two bills recently passed by the Texas Legislature. House Bills 1306 and 1940 provide new opportunities for surplus lines agents and insurers in Texas. HB 1306 - Reacting to the...more
Almost two years after Hurricane Harvey devastated parts of Texas and Louisiana, Central America, and several Caribbean islands, the coverage issues arising out of it are far from resolved. The court decisions addressing...more