FLOOD INSURANCE
An important aspect to consider when purchasing homeowner’s or renter’s insurance is that most policies do not cover damage caused by flooding. Have no fear though, flood insurance is here to fill in that gap.
Most flood insurance is written through the National Flood Insurance Program, or NFIP for short. This program is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Flood policies do not go into effect until 30 days from the date of purchase. Do not wait until an impending disaster is on its way to protect your assets!
Here are somethings to consider if you are on the fence on purchasing flood insurance:
1. You might be required to purchase it by law- Congress has mandated federally regulated or insured lenders to require flood insurance on mortgaged properties that are located in areas at high risk of flooding. Use this link to the FEMA website to see if you are in a high risk zone.
2. Flooding is the most common natural disaster in the United States.
3. Floods are not just caused by cataclysmic storms (and even the occurrence of those is on the rise) – Floods can be caused by dams and levees breaking, snow melt, and more.
4. Damage from floods can be expensive- just one inch of flooding in a building can cost over $20,000.
If you are interested in discussing if a flood insurance policy is right for you, please contact our agency in Virginia.