Why should I purchase flood insurance if:
Q. I already have a home insurance policy?
A: Most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. Only flood insurance covers the cost of rebuilding after a flood.
Q. My community has never flooded?
A: Flooding can happen anywhere at any time. Poor drainage systems, summer storms, melting snow, neighborhood construction, and broken water mains can all result in flooding.
In high-risk areas, there is at least a one-in-four chance of flooding during a 30-year mortgage.
Q. I live outside the high-risk flood area?
A: Even though flood insurance isn’t required for your property, flooding can happen to anyone.
In fact, from 2014 to 2018, policyholders outside of high-risk flood areas filed over 40 percent of all NFIP flood insurance claims and required one-third of federal disaster assistance for flooding.
Q. My home flood damage could be covered by federal disaster assistance?
A: Federal disaster assistance is only made available when there is a Presidential disaster declaration, and most flood events do not result in a declaration. Disaster assistance typically comes in the form of loans that must be repaid – with interest!
Disaster assistance from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration is designed to kick-start recovery, but is not enough to restore your home to its pre-disaster condition or to replace your treasured household items.
Flood insurance does not have to be paid back, and it is designed to restore your property to its pre-disaster condition. There is no better way to protect the life you’ve built than with NFIP flood insurance.
Q. I'm renting a property?
A: It’s likely your landlord has flood insurance that covers the building, but not its contents.
Affordable, contents-only flood insurance will help you protect the items inside of your unit in the event of a flood.
For more information on flood insurance, contact Lallis & Higgins Insurance.
Source: floodsmart
