http://crooksandliars.com/john-amato/jim-bunnings-hold-also-klling-flood-insJim Bunning's hold is also killing "flood insurance"
By John Amato Tuesday Mar 02, 2010 8:00am
Senator Jim Bunning's hold was unconscionable on some many levels, but now we find out that it's also causing damage to many homeowners as well.
Consumer Reports:
Will you be able to get insurance for your flooded basement this spring when snows start to thaw?
At this very moment, the National Flood Insurance Program, the government-run program that provides most flood insurance for residents and businesses nationwide, is officially out of money. Funding for the program ran out last night. The House Financial Services Committee voted to extend the program through March 31. But in the Senate Banking Committee, an extension of funding for flood insurance and several other, more prominent programs, was blocked today by Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., who said they would add to the deficit.
Here's what the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which oversees the flood program, said today:
Authorization for the National Flood Insurance Program expired February 28, 2010. If reauthorization takes place after this date, policies that are already in the process of being issued or renewed will be issued when Congress re-authorizes the National Flood Insurance Program. Payments for claims on existing policies will not be impacted; such policies will continue uninterrupted.
In all likelihood, a bill will be passed to extend the coverage and make it retroactive to Feb. 28th, says John Priple, vice-president of government affairs for the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America. In the intervening days, however, you won't be able to buy flood insurance.
Conservatives are a funny breed. When one of their own is in office, the deficit suddenly isn't an issue.