Floods can happen at any time and without warning. They cause structural damage to houses, vehicles—even buildings. The cost of repairing or replacing essential property could be prohibitive for many homeowners. That is why taking out flood insurance before your home suffers significant water damage due to an unfortunate event is important.

Flood insurance is a type of property insurance that can cover your building and its contents if damaged or destroyed due to a flood caused by heavy rain, storm surges, blocked storm drainage systems, or levee dam failure. While not every homeowner needs flood insurance, it may be a wise investment regardless of where you live. According to The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), more than 25% of homeowners who have filed a flood damage claim do not even live in a flood zone.

If you live in a flood zone, you will require flood insurance. However, flooding can occur in inland places away from large rivers. If your home could be flooded by melting snow, an overflowing creek or pond, or water running down a steep hill, consider purchasing flood insurance.

Flood insurance is offered to both renters and homeowners, but it is not included in typical homeowner policy, as is earthquake insurance. Flood insurance is instead supplied independently by the federal government and dozens of private insurers.

If you need flood insurance, don't wait until the evening news broadcasts a flood warning before purchasing coverage. The National Flood Insurance Program plan includes a 30-day waiting period before coverage begins.

It might be time to switch insurers whenever the service that your existing insurer provides doesn’t meet your needs. For example, if you have a poor claims experience or an unexplained rate increase, it might be time to consider other options

If you cancel a previous policy before a new policy is effective, you could run into some serious financial problems.

Contact us today to help you with multiple options to choose from.