Southampton - Southampton insurance agency Maran Corporate Risk Associates was recently named Agency of the Year by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Each year the (NFIP recognizes agencies which demonstrate a dedication to promoting flood risk awareness and flood insurance. Earlier this year, the local insurance agency was nominated for this award by Fidelity National Property and Casualty Insurance for their outreach to their clients and executives received the recognition on April 22 at the annual NFIP convention in Boston.

In recent years the agency has focused on educating community members and clients on the real threats of flood damage and the costs of not purchasing flood insurance through a number of marketing and advertising initiatives, such as radio ads, internet advertising and email blasts. The agency has been focusing on community awareness for the last several years, hosting a hurricane preparedness seminar in Bridgehampton in 2006, where town officials, Red Cross representatives, FEMA spokespeople and insurance experts all discussed how to better prepare for a potential hurricane.

With new FEMA flood maps being drafted in Suffolk County, company executives said they felt the last year was an especially important time to raise awareness about the potential damages flooding can cause. "We're committed to raising awareness of the potential for devastating flood damage and hope to continue to find new ways to show the value of flood insurance for both residential and commercial property owners," said Chief Operating Officer and Water Mill resident Beth Gardner. Ms. Gardner and her sister, Kirsten Squires, the Personal Lines Manager from MCRA, traveled to Boston to accept the award last week.

Maran Corporate Risk Associates has been an advocate for flood insurance for over 20 years. The NFIP, a component of FEMA, provides flood insurance in more than 20,000 communities across the nation and annually recognizes notable insurance agencies that support the NFIP flood program. Maran Corporate Risk Associates is a full-service insurance agency employing over 50 insurance professionals and has offices in Southampton and Marlton, NJ.