Does your insurance cover flooding? How to file a claim after devastating Texas floods
With people still unaccounted for, Texas Governor Greg Abbott warned that flash flooding remains a serious threat across parts of Texas, as additional rainfall is expected in several regions Monday. Authorities have urged residents of Hunt, a community in Kerr County, to seek higher ground this afternoon due to the risk of further flooding.
On Sunday, President Trump announced that he signed a "Major Disaster Declaration' for relief for Kerr County in Texas, as the region deals with heavy rains and extreme flooding that have killed dozens.
As residents come to terms with the aftermath of the flooding, here's what to know about relief and insurance claims:
In response to the devastating floods that struck Central Texas over the Fourth of July weekend, various relief options are available to assist affected individuals and communities.
Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC): HHSC coordinates efforts to provide information and help to Texans during disasters. This includes assistance with food benefits (such as SNAP), health care services, and housing support. More information is available at HHSC Disaster Assistance.
Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM): TDEM supports plans and programs to help prevent or lessen the impact of emergencies and disasters. They provide assistance to individuals, communities, and businesses affected by disasters. More information can be found at Texas Flood Recovery.
Kerr County Flood Relief Fund: Operated by The Community Foundation, this fund supports local rescue and recovery efforts in affected towns like Hunt, Ingram, Kerrville, Center Point, and Comfort.
Central Texas Small Business Relief Fund: Launched by the Maestro Entrepreneur Center, this fund supports businesses affected by recent flooding in the Hill Country area. It aims to assist with urgent repairs, replacement of damaged equipment and supplies, and day-to-day operational expenses necessary for reopening.
Texas Flood Information Clearinghouse: State agencies administer flood financial assistance programs, providing a "one-stop-shop" for information on flood mitigation funding opportunities for Texas' communities.
Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA): Provides disaster relief resources for individuals and families, including housing assistance and information on available programs.
If you have flood insurance — either through your home insurance provider or the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) — it's crucial to file a claim promptly. Typically, claims must be submitted within 60 days of the flooding event. If you're having trouble contacting your insurer, the Texas Department of Insurance recommends calling 1-800-252-3439 for help.
Even without insurance, you may still be eligible for federal disaster assistance. All impacted residents are urged to thoroughly document their property damage using photos and videos. While it's important to begin cleanup, the state recommends holding off on discarding damaged items until you've consulted with your insurance adjuster. It's also important to note that FEMA aid is generally only available in areas formally designated as disaster zones by the president.
The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for the Texas Hill Country, including areas like Kerrville and San Antonio, due to ongoing heavy rainfall. Forecasts predict additional rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches, with isolated areas potentially receiving up to 10 inches. This excessive rainfall poses a risk of flash flooding in low-lying regions, rivers, creeks, and low water crossings.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Does your insurance cover Texas flooding? How to file a claim
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Politico
5 minutes ago
- Politico
Trump team pushes for ouster of top IEA official
'The product that the IEA produces is not generally accepted by everybody. It's just not,' said Mark Menezes, who served as deputy Energy secretary during Trump's first term. 'And the political context has changed.' The Trump administration is aiming to push changes internally, according to a Republican energy lobbyist with close ties to the Department of Energy. 'They want to get operatives in there, whether they're career or political, who can actually move the needle,' said the lobbyist. 'They're going to get someone they trust and that person is going to fight from the inside out.' He added of the U.S. pressure campaign on the IEA, 'The fact that Wright is out there now talking about it publicly shows that it's elevated.' The White House, meanwhile, is championing fossil fuels as more reliable and often cheaper than wind, solar, and other clean energy sources, despite analysis that suggests renewable power is cheaper and faster to deploy. Now, House lawmakers are threatening to withdraw U.S. funding for the IEA in the fiscal 2026 budget process — after passing a recissions package that cuts funding for United Nations agencies and other international organizations. Wright has criticized the IEA for its projection that oil demand will peak this decade, calling it 'nonsensical' in a Breitbart interview in June. Republicans also bristled at the Biden administration's use of IEA analysis in 2024 to justify a U.S. decision to pause consideration of new liquefied natural gas export permits. In testimony at a Senate hearing last year, David Turk, deputy energy secretary under Biden, cited IEA findings that showed global gas demand on the decline. Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and then-Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), now retired from Congress, wrote a letter to IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol last March saying the IEA has strayed from its mission and become a 'cheerleader' for the energy transition. Birol, for his part, has defended the organization's commitment to energy security while acknowledging that its mission has broadened. Meanwhile, Trump ordered the State Department in February to do a six-month review of U.S. participation in international organizations and treaties and recommend leaving those that don't serve his priorities. Career U.S. diplomat under fire IEA officials are pledging to resurrect a 'Current Policy Scenario' in the IEA's World Energy Outlook later this year. In 2020, the IEA abandoned that analysis, which analyzed the global energy picture based on existing national energy policies.
Miami Herald
17 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Reports: Trump considers stock IPO for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac
Aug. 9 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump reportedly wants the U.S. government to sell Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac stock in a quest to move the mortgage finance companies from full federal control. The initial public offering, which would be possible the largest in history, was first reported by The Wall Street Journal and later confirmed by CNN and The New York Times. The outlets reported that the plans have not been finalized for Fannie Mae, which is short for Federal National Mortgage Association, and was created in 1938 as part of President Frank Roosevelt's New Deal. Freddie Mac, which stands for Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., began in 1970 to further expand the secondary mortgage market. An IPO of up to 15% of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could raise $30 billion, according to the media outlets. The New York Times reported that Trump met with executives from the nation's largest banks -- Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan, David Solomon of Goldman Sachs, Brian Moynihan of Bank of America and Jane Fraser of Citigroup. He asked them to come up with a way to sell shares on the stock market. The companies represent a big portion of the $12 trillion mortgage market. Wall Street investors also met with Treasury officials, the New York Times reported. Trump has wanted to privatize the companies since his first term in the White House. "I am giving very serious consideration to bringing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac public. .... Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are doing very well, throwing off a lot of CASH, and the time would seem to be right," he posted on Truth Social on May 22. Federal Housing Finance Agency, which currently controls the two companies, has been headed since March by Bill Pulte, the grandson of the founder of PulteGroup, a residential and home construction company. He, too, has favored selling stock in the companies, but has said they should remain under the federal conservatorship. With interest rates relatively high, CNN reported that some analysts fear the privatization would hurt the mortgage market. This could make it even more expensive to borrow money to buy a new home with high sale prices. In 2024, Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody's Analytics, estimated privatization would boost the average mortgage by an extra $1,800 to $2,800 each year. Before the 2008 Great Recession, the companies were private and only backed by the U.S. Treasury, but were placed under what was planned as a temporary government conservatorship. The market crash was caused as relaxed lending standards fueled banks giving subprime loans to people with poor credit who should not have qualified, and required a $187 billion government bailout to prevent lenders from filing for bankruptcy and a potential crash of the economy. Fannie and Freddie buy mortgages from lenders and repackage them for investors in a way to keep mortgages more affordable, in addition to guaranteeing bond investors that they will help out if too many borrowers default. The role has kept mortgage rates relatively low and stabilized the 30-year fixed mortgage, the national rate for which currently stands at around 6.58%. Jaret Seiberg, a financial services and housing policy analyst at TD Cowen Financial, told CNN in May that the spinoff might not happen until late 2026 or early 2027. The Treasury Department holds about 80% of the common stock and also has senior preferred shares. Investors Bill Ackman and John Paulson, who endorsed Trump for president, bought shares several years ago with the hope the government would sell stock, according to the Journal and the Times. Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Lula and Putin discuss peace in Ukraine before US summit
BRASILIA (Reuters) -Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva spoke with Russia's President Vladimir Putin on Saturday for about 40 minutes, the Brazilian presidential palace said, adding that Putin shared information about his discussions with the United States and "recent peace efforts between Russia and Ukraine." The leaders also discussed their cooperation in the BRICS group of emerging countries and "discussed the current international political and economic scenario," according to the statement. The conversation with Lula is the latest of a flurry of calls between Putin and foreign leaders in recent days ahead of the Russian president's expected meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump next week. Putin spoke to the leaders of China and India, both also part of the BRICS group of developing nations, and other presidents from Central Asia and Europe on Friday to brief them on his contacts with the United States about the war in Ukraine. Lula has been in a public spat with Trump since the U.S. imposed a 50% tariff on the imports of Brazilian goods, which Trump linked to an alleged "witch hunt" against his ally and Brazil's former right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro. U.S. imports of some Brazilian products, such as orange juice and aircraft, received a lower rate. Lula told Reuters on Wednesday he planned to call the leaders of the BRICS countries, which also include South Africa, to discuss a joint response to Trump's tariffs on U.S. imports. The Brazilian leader spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. Trump has threatened BRICS nations with additional 10% tariffs last month, as the group gathered in a summit in Rio de Janeiro in July.
