The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) reduces flood losses and provides financial protection to home and business owners.

More than 19,000 communities across the United States and its territories participate in the NFIP by adopting and enforcing floodplain management ordinances to reduce future flood damage. In exchange, the NFIP makes Federally backed flood insurance available to homeowners, renters, and business owners in these communities.

Created by Congress in response to the rising cost of disaster relief for flood victims, the NFIP is managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration.

Through partnerships with communities, the insurance industry and the lending industry, the NFIP helps to reduce flood damage by almost $1 billion a year. Furthermore, buildings constructed in compliance with NFIP building standards suffer approximately 80% less damage annually than those not built in compliance