…when rain- and thunderstorms hit. Not every flood comes from a tidal surge or raging river!
In fact, you don’t even have to live near a river to be affected by a flood. Excessive rain, ice, or snow, insufficient storm drains, and increased development –and pavement– can cause water back-up and flooding even nowhere near a large body of water. About 25% of all flood claims occur in such low-to moderate-risk areas!
A customer of our agency experienced such a situation last fall, when his neighbor’s retaining wall caused rainwater to back up, flow into his yard, across the deck and through cracks of the sliding glass door into the living room. The damage was not covered by his homeowners policy.
If you live in a flood plain, we highly recommend that you have flood insurance. (This may even be a mandatory requirement by the lender.) But with recent years’ weather patterns the way they have been, we advise flood insurance for everyone.
Why think about this now? Because flood insurance takes 30 days to issue! Once the rains hit, it may be too late. Flood policies are available for about $400 per year. (And please keep in mind: Financial assistance from FEMA is a low-interest loan that’s only offered in the event of a presidential disaster declaration. If your home sustains damage due to a flood, it is your responsibility to pay for repairs if you don’t have flood insurance.)