Homeowners without flood insurance face significant financial risks, especially as climate change drives extreme rainfall into areas previously considered low-risk. The aftermath of Hurricane Helene in 2024 serves as a stark example, where extreme rainfall caused flooding hundreds of miles inland in western North Carolina, submerging homes in Asheville and surrounding areas. Fewer than 1% of housing units in the affected region carried federal flood insurance, leaving many residents unprotected. This underscores the growing gap between those who need flood insurance and those who have it, with potentially devastating consequences for unprepared homeowners.