Floods are a natural calamity, and flood-prone areas are more at risk. The low lying areas in California are at risk every year for damage to property and lives. There are damages worth millions of dollars from these floods. The floods are caused by rainstorms, melting snow, hurricanes, and even blocked storm drains. Floods are a frequent occurrence, and they can be unpredictable. It would be best if you keep your family safe by insuring against natural disasters of all kinds, especially floods. Home insurance policies are not enough as they do not cover floods and other natural disasters. It would help if you bought Home insurance for flood areas separately to protect your family.
Buying the right insurance for protecting your family against flood
When you buy a home in a flood-prone area, you may be asked by your bank to procure an adequate cover against floods and other natural calamities.
1. Home insurance may not cover floods necessarily. You may want to take extra protection in case of floods. If you are not opting for flood insurance, you might be literally left high and dry when your home is flooded. Do read the policy document carefully before you sign on the dotted line. The best flood insurance companies do have the
The classic example of Hurricane Katrina must be remembered. When residents having home insurance applied for claims when their homes and kin were lost in the ensuing floods, they were told that they are not covered for this calamity. They lost family and property but got no compensation. The reason that was floated as a negative one was that the Hurricane did not cause the damage, but the flooding that happened after the storms did the damage. If the citizens had been covered by flood insurance, at least they would have got monetary compensation for their losses. The emotional damage can never be covered, but at least the physical losses could have been compensated.
2. It might be difficult to get flood insurance if your home is in the flood-affected area. The insurance companies often make a killing when they ask for premiums in flood-prone areas. The insurance premiums are so high that they may cross $500-$700 annually over and above the average home insurance premium.
Nearly 20% of the claims come from outside the marked flood zones. So, even if you are buying a property where floods are not frequent, you may want to take insurance for floods along with home insurance policies.
3. The premium of a home insurance and flood policy also depends on what kind of measures that you, as a homeowner, have taken in defence of floods. If you have taken precautions like creating a fence around your property to keep floodwaters out or build a basement or a cellar. The premium also depends on whether your home has suffered any flood damage in the past. In these circumstances, the premium amount will differ from other properties. Some areas of the USA have a requirement for mandatory flood insurance. Federal law insists that insurers who are reputed and regulated by the law that prevails in the state should have a necessary flood insurance clause for homes that are at flood risk.
4. If you live in a flood zone and have been flooded before and received federal assistance in the process, you need to buy flood insurance without fail. If you fail to do so, you will not be eligible to get federal aid in the future. That could be a disaster in itself. If you think you are risking, it may be a good idea to visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency or the FEMA website. This website flags all the flood-prone areas. Ensure that you have a flood insurance policy in place to protect your family and home.
5. Your family is safe when you buy flood insurance as the federal government then helps you in disaster time with the cost of construction and raw materials. You will be reimbursed without the depreciation amount. The coverage for appliances and furniture is a separate matter, and you need to buy individual insurance for that. Keep your family safe and protected at all times.
