DES MOINES -- Many Iowans who lived far away from the river's edge never dreamed they would be the victims of flooding or that they needed flood insurance.

But after record floods hit the state, many are finding out homeowners' insurance won't cover flood damage.

"There were many, many people that were impacted that have no flood insurance whatsoever," said Barbara Berquam, Black Hawk County Emergency Agency coordinator.

Susan Staudt, city attorney for Cedar Falls, echoed that sentiment.

"It's epic flooding that's occurring in places that by definition, nobody ever expected," she said.

Iowa Insurance Commissioner Susan Voss said it is uncommon for people to buy flood insurance unless they've been hit by flooding before or their lender insists they have it when they buy a house in a flood plain.

Those with uninsured flood damage often seek assistance through the federal agencies such as the Small Business Administration, where they can get low-interest loans to fix up properties.

The Iowa Insurance Division is in the process of implementing a flood mediation service for consumers trying to sort out what their homeowners' policy covers. The agency provided the same service after the floods of 1993.

Voss said her agency wants to make sure insurance claims for damage involving sewer and storm water backup or sump pump failure are paid if they are part of a homeowners' insurance policy.

"That's some little comfort to some people if they didn't have flood insurance on top of that," Voss said.

Voss is advising consumers with flood damage but no insurance to contact the federal programs and Federal Emergency Management Agency and apply for assistance through all of them.

"File for everything that could be available," Voss said.

Currently, 24 Iowa counties are eligible for public and individual assistance from the federal government.

Flood victims with uninsured losses can apply for assistance from FEMA. A FEMA inspector will then visit with each applicant a few days after the agency receives a request for help.

Applicants may receive as much as $28,800 in federal grants for temporary housing, repairs, medical care or other expenses resulting from a disaster.

Nearly 13,000 Iowans have applied for FEMA assistance since the May 25 tornadoes that struck Northeast Iowa, said Jacqueline Chandler, a FEMA public information officer.

Businesses and homeowners dealing with long-term losses to property can also apply for federal low-interest loans from the Small Business Administration when registering with FEMA, said Bill Koontz, a spokesman for the Small Business Administration.

Koontz said the SBA has received more than 250 loan applications from Iowans since May 25 and approved loans totaling a combined $2.8 million.

He expects more applications to come in as the flood damage is assessed.

"That's just the beginning. We're going to be here a while," he said.

Around 17 percent of Americans have flood insurance policies, according to a recent survey from the Insurance Information Institute.

Homeowners with uninsured flood damages should catalog their losses and let their insurance companies know anyway, said Jeanne Salvatore, senior vice president of public affairs for the Insurance Information Institute.

Salvatore said accurate documentation of damages makes it easier for homeowners to apply for assistance from federal agencies.

She recommended all homeowners consider flood insurance, even if they live in areas not considered to be at risk.

"Low-risk does not mean no-risk," she said. "Everybody should ask about it."

Contact Charlotte Eby at

(515) 243-0138 or chareby@aol.com.