National Flood Insurance Program
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), enables homeowners, business owners and renters in participating communities to purchase federally backed flood insurance. This insurance offers an insurance alternative to disaster assistance to meet the escalating costs of repairing flood damage to buildings and their contents.
Participating communities agree to adopt and enforce floodplain management ordinances to reduce future flood damage. There are 400 participating communities across the state of Tennessee. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) is the designated state agency for NFIP. Administration of floodplain management measures is required for participation in the NFIP and responsibility rests with the local community where development/building permits are issued or denied. Further, inspections of development to ensure compliance with the local ordinance must be carried out, and records of floodplain development permits also must be kept in perpetuity.