Nearly every county in the United States has experienced flooding in the past few decades, but just 4% of homeowners nationwide have flood insurance, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

It’s what experts call the flood insurance gap. Most homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flooding. And while FEMA aid may be available to help people repair their homes after federally declared disasters, it often covers just a fraction of the costs.

That means when floodwaters come, people frequently are on their own to pick up the pieces. It’s a reality communities across the country are facing after flooding hit parts of Texas, New Mexico and North Carolina in the past week alone. In all three states, the floods were caused by extremely heavy rainfall inland — a risk that’s growing with climate change. A warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture. As temperatures rise, it’s fueling more intense rainstorms that drop more water in shorter periods of time.

By Michael Copley. Read the full article here.