Floods are the most common and widespread of all weather-related natural disasters, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Sever Storms Laboratory.

Still, a recent flood report found the number of active National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policies decreased slightly between November 2023 and November 2024. An average of 3.3% of households across the U.S. have NFIP coverage, according to the study. In turn, less than 1.0% of homes in 26 states have this flood insurance. Louisiana (20.9%) has the highest percentage of homes with NFIP coverage, followed by Florida (17.9%) and Hawaii (10.8%).

By state, the number of policies surged the most (25.4%) in New Mexico. Alaska (21.0%), and Maine (18.5%) followed. New Mexico had the biggest surge, adding 2,616 active policies, after a severe storm caused widespread flooding in the state in October 2024, leading to a federal disaster declaration. Additionally, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offered five years of flood insurance coverage for homes that weren’t required to carry it in areas affected by the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon fire in New Mexico, highlighting how wildfires can contribute to flooding disasters. Like New Mexico, Maine and Alaska experienced significant flooding events last year.

On the other hand, flood policies decreased the most in Utah (37.5%), North Dakota (10.1%) and West Virginia (7.6%).

As of Nov. 30, nearly 99,000 NFIP claims were filed in 2024—74,272 of which were paid. The average payment per claim was US$33,905. Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused the most significant flood losses in 2024, with the average payment for Florida claims related to Hurricane Helene being $38,970 (totaling $1.6 billion).

An average of 39.1% of NFIP policies across the U.S. are in areas not considered high flood-risk zones, and these areas account for 30.6% of reported losses. The states with the highest percentage of losses outside these zones are the District of Columbia (85.6%), Utah (81.3%) and Wyoming (61.6%).

Flood insurance isn’t mandatory (in most cases) unless your home is in a special flood hazard area (SFHA), so homeowners may find it easier to cut back on flood insurance to manage their rising insurance costs, the report said.

The March/April issue of Cleaning & Maintenance Management is now available in a digital format.

This edition focuses on sustainability practices, offering practical tips for installing electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in facilities and controlling the breeding population of insects without relying on toxic sprays. It reveals the results of the annual In-House/Facility Management Survey, a useful benchmarking tool for in-house service providers, and explains the newest metrics to measure whether you are adequately cleaning for health.

Here’s a quick look at what you’ll find in this issue:

The Road to EV Charging
Implementing and maintaining electric vehicle charging stations and infrastructure

2025 CMM In-House/Facility Management Benchmarking Survey Report
Labor continues to be a challenge as the industry seeks to evolve through technology and sustainability

Look Beyond the Spray and Pray Model to Eliminate Pests
Choose sustainable methods for insect and rodent control this spring

Defining Cleaning for Health Through Metrics
Indexes provide a measurement for surface and air contaminants
 
7 Steps for Winning the Bid
Best practices for implementing requests for proposals

 Appreciation Paves a Career Path to Success
Elevating the custodial role benefits your organization and its cleaning staff

Enlightening Tips for Carpet Fiber Identification
A burn test can give you all the information needed to clean carpet properly

ISSA Launches Community of Practice to Empower Cleaning Professionals

Safer Choices Forum will lead the future of sustainable facility management

Check out the table of contents to see all this edition of CMM has to offer, including a sustainability showcase.