Hurricane Helene destroyed whole communities across six states in the Southeastern U.S. and claimed at least 194 lives. 

Helene, which had been a Category 4 storm, made landfall on Sept. 26 and remained a hurricane for six hours after it came ashore, according to FEMA. It was the most powerful storm on record to hit Florida's Big Bend and the 14th most powerful to hit the U.S. since records began.

While the storm weakened as it moved north into Georgia and the Carolinas, flooding, storm surges, high winds and landslides wrought havoc across communities—both inside and outside of flood zones—many of which were unprepared for the flooding that ensued.

Within the 100 counties most affected by power outages related to Hurricane Helene, approximately 2% of residences had flood insurance, according to an NBC News analysis of PowerOutage.us, U.S. Census Bureau and National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policy data gathered by insurance company Neptune Flood. Inland county residences are the least likely to have flood insurance, with flood insurance covering 0.3% of South Carolina's and fewer than 1% of North Carolina's most-impacted counties, the analysis found.

The disaster highlights just how alarmingly low flood insurance coverage is among Americans, particularly in areas farther from the coast. Flood insurance coverage in several Southeastern states remains notably low, even as these areas face increasing risks from storms and rising sea levels, according to Neptune Flood.

In Florida, only 12% of the 8.97 million properties have flood insurance. The state saw a slight year-over-year increase in policies, with the number rising from 1,076,596 in June 2023 to 1,089,386 in June 2024—an increase of just 1.2%.

Georgia, however, experienced a decrease in coverage. Only 1.6% of the 4.2 million properties in the state are insured against floods, with the number of policies dropping from 68,093 in June 2023 to 65,571 in June 2024, reflecting a 3.7% decline.

South Carolina has a similar story. Although 6.5% of the state's 2.1 million properties have flood insurance, the number of policies has decreased by 3.1% year over year, from 142,505 in June 2023 to 138,124 in June 2024.

North Carolina also saw a dip in coverage. Only 2.6% of the 4.3 million properties have flood insurance, with policies falling by 2.5% from 118,018 in June 2023 to 115,035 in June 2024.

For around two-thirds of single-family homes with a replacement cost value below $450,0000, the cost of flood insurance is below $2,000 per year, according to FEMA data gathered from the NFIP. Yet, despite increasing catastrophes, 59% of U.S. adults say they are not likely to reevaluate their need for flood insurance, according to a survey commissioned by Selective and conducted by The Harris Poll. Further, of the U.S. adults surveyed, only 14% had flood insurance.

Meanwhile, the widespread misunderstanding that homeowners and renters policies cover flood damage continues. Two-thirds of consumers with homeowners and renters insurance incorrectly believe their current policy covers flood-related damage to home structure or contents, the Selective survey found.

With millions of people and businesses from coastal Florida to the Blue Ridge Mountains reeling in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, many Americans are looking for ways to help. The Trusted Choice® Relief Fund is accepting donations and grant applications to help independent insurance agencies and their staff affected by this devastating storm.

Whether you're looking to donate to help fellow agents or seeking financial assistance for recovery, the Trusted Choice Relief Fund is here to provide critical support. 

Will Jones is IA editor-in-chief.