RALEIGH, N.C. -- As hurricane season closes in, state officials on Thursday said North Carolina homeowners should buy flood insurance before storms threaten.

• State officials said fewer than 135,000 North Carolinians had flood insurance when Hurricane Florence hit
• Once a storm is named, there is a moratorium on buying new flood insurance policies
• Flood insurance policies take 30 days to go into effect

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey said when Hurricane Florence hit last year, FEMA estimated fewer than 135,000 North Carolinians had flood insurance, out of a population of more than 10 million. He said most homeowner insurance policies don't cover flood damage and it's not a good idea to wait until a storm is coming to buy coverage.

"Once there's a named storm, there's a moratorium on buying new insurance policies," he said.

You'll need to plan ahead when you buy flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program. Causey said coverage policies take 30 days to go into effect once you buy them.