Utah residents face big bills without flood insurance

Some homeowners in northern Utah are facing staggering bills to repair flood damage because they, like most Utah residents, don’t have flood insurance.

The Salt Lake Tribune reported Wednesday that less than 1 percent of homeowners in the state have federal flood insurance.

Barbara Denver, of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, says there are more homes at risk for flooding than the 4,000 that are covered.

Hydrologist Brian McInerney says the risk of flooding in northern Utah may be on the rise because of increasingly heavy rain and melting snowpack.

Northern Utah resident Wyatt Brammer says his house was damaged from flooding two months ago, which could cost as much as $17,000 to fix because he doesn’t have the proper insurance.