WASHINGTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced Wednesday that flood insurance payments for Hurricane Helene have exceeded $1 billion.
Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm, caused widespread devastation across several states, including Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
As of Wednesday, more than 55,000 flood loss claims have been reported to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). These claims have resulted in approximately $1.4 billion in payments to policyholders. This figure is expected to rise as more claims are processed and additional damage assessments are completed.
FEMA's initial estimates project Helene caused between $3.5 billion and $7 billion in NFIP claims losses, including loss adjustment expenses.
Overall, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper estimated Helene's catastrophic impact at $53 billion. Helene was blamed for 103 deaths in North Carolina. Cooper said he is seeking $25.5 billion in federal aid to rebuild critical infrastructure, including roads and bridges that were washed out, as well as public water systems that were knocked offline for weeks.
Earlier this week, Cooper vetoed a state bill that he said was a political power grab disguised as a relief bill.
Cooper said he has also met with President Joe Biden and numerous federal agencies and provided information to President-elect Donald Trump's team about the urgent need for relief in the mountains. He stressed that local governments cannot shoulder the load alone and called for a bipartisan approach to helping the region recover.
FEMA encourages survivors to apply for disaster assistance online or visit one of the Disaster Recovery Centers open across the impacted states. These centers provide a vital resource for individuals seeking help with housing repairs, personal property replacement, and other recovery needs.