Baton Rouge – The National Flood Insurance Program may reimburse residents for up to $1,000 for preventative measures taken such as sandbags, supplies and labor and property removed to safety.

Property must be stored in a fully enclosed building and is covered for 45 consecutive days from the date you begin to move it there.

Keep all receipts and submit them to your claims adjuster. In preparation of filing a flood insurance claim, make sure to have your insurance policy, inventory of your contents, all receipts and photos of damaged items (if possible).

For questions regarding NFIP, call (866) 751-3989. Call center hours have been extended temporarily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week.

Flood Insurance can be purchased at any time; however, there is a 30-day waiting period after applying and paying the premium before it becomes effective. This policy was put into effect so property owners would not be purchasing flood insurance only when there is a threat to their property. Exceptions to this rule are:

•If you purchase flood insurance in connection with making, increasing, extending or renewing a loan, there is no waiting period. Have your lender issue a letter stating that flood insurance is required and your insurance agent will waive the 30 day waiting period. It’s important to keep in contact with your insurance company.

•If you purchase flood insurance during the 13-month waiting period following the effective date of a revised community flood map, there is a one-day waiting period.

For more information on flood mapping in Louisiana, visit www.lamappingproject.com.