Congress established the National Flood Insurance Program in 1968. It’s a reliable way for homeowners to get flood insurance when private insurers won’t offer it. But, with the government shutdown, no new policies will be issued, and existing policies cannot be renewed. This is expected to have a big impact on real estate transactions in flood plains and other flood-prone regions. A spokesperson from the Insurance Fairness Project says this “adds fuel to an already escalating insurance crisis driven by climate change.”Policies that began before the shutdown will last for another year.