In 2014, major flooding resulted in more than $351 million in claim payouts through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Floods can have devastating effects on communities, homes and families. In 2014, major flooding resulted in more than $351 million in claim payouts through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The average 2014 NFIP claim was $29,033 according to Insurance Information Insitute (I.I.I.) data gathered from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The NFIP was created by Congress in 1968 in response to the rising cost of taxpayer-funded disaster relief for flood victims and the increasing amount of damage caused by floods. The NFIP makes federally backed flood insurance available in communities that agree to adopt and enforce floodplain management ordinances to reduce future flood damage.

The NFIP provides coverage for up to $250,000 for the structure of the home and up to $100,000 for personal possessions. NFIP earned premiums rose slightly to $3.56 billion in 2014 from $3.51 billion in 2013.

Using data from DHS and FEMA, I.I.I. found the following 10 U.S. states had the highest total amount of NFIP claim payouts from Oct. 1, 2013, through Sept. 30, 2014:

10 US States with highest total NFIP claims in 2014