MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • January 7, 2024
Maine has a startlingly low rate of flood insurance – less than 1% by some estimates. Nationally, the rate is about 4%, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Experts say that as climate change progresses, there are likely to be more extreme weather events like last month’s that left thousands of Mainers stranded. A medium-sized snowstorm this weekend, which is expected to be followed by heavy rain midweek, could increase flooding risks in some areas. Yet even as flooding has become a bigger concern across the state, officials say the number of people purchasing flood insurance has fallen in the last decade.