Consider it a lesson learned.
The FEMA grants for most homeowners recovering from Hurricane Sandy are coming with something extra — automatic enrollment in the national flood-insurance program.
Premiums are deducted directly from the grants — worth as much as $32,000 — that FEMA has been giving to the owners of some of the most storm-battered homes without flood insurance.
The decision to automatically enroll is done on a case-by-case basis, said FEMA spokeswoman Hannah Vick.
The FEMA coverage comes at a bargain: $600 for three years. After that, homeowners are expected to purchase standard flood-insurance policies.