Protect Your Home with Flood Insurance

If you have homeowners insurance, your coverage likely provides provisions for certain types of water damage; flood damage, however, is not covered. Flood insurance coverage must be purchased with a separate policy.

Definition of Water Damage:

Water damage is damage that occurs prior to water touching the ground, for example:

• Broken pipes
• Breaking or damaging of windows by natural causes such as ice, hail, or rain
• Roof leaks that cause pooling water in your home when it rains heavily

Definition of Flood Damage:

Flood damage is damage that is caused to your home after water touches the ground, for example:

• River overflow
• Erosion or mudslides that have been caused by heavy rain or flooding
• Water that enters your home because rain has fallen too quickly to be absorbed into the soil

Special Flood Hazard Areas and Mapping:

Congress created the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in 1968 in order to remove some of the financial burden sustained by areas that have experienced flood-related disasters. It also oversees and maps the areas that are prone or susceptible to floods. If an area is at a high enough risk (called Special Flood Hazard Areas), individuals will be required by law to purchase flood insurance.

Policies:

Flood insurance policies will insure up to $250,000 for a single residence; you can, however, purchase additional coverage to help with the replacing of your home’s contents should you sustain damage from a flood. Insured items will vary from policy to policy, so be sure to be as specific as possible when discussing flood insurance with your agent.

There are many myths that surround the purchase of homeowner’s insurance of which you should be aware. Here are just a few:

Myth #1: All home insurance will cover flood damage.

Fact: Your homeowner’s insurance may not (and probably doesn’t) cover damage to your home caused by flooding. If your home is in an area at risk for flooding, you should look into purchasing a separate flood policy.

Myth #2: The medical payment portion of a standard homeowner’s policy will cover injuries to my family and me.

Fact: The most common feature of a standard insurance policy is included to protect you should someone other than a member of your family get hurt while on your property assuming they will not be suing you. Typically each claim will cover up to $1,000 each for the injured party; however, if you or one of your family members is injured, you will not be covered.

Your insurance company will likely ask you to make a list of everything you owned and include specific details – date of purchase, cost, possibly serial numbers, etc. This is nearly impossible for the average person to document just by memory, so having a home inventory already in order is the best way to avoid this if you should ever find yourself in a position of total loss. It’s a good idea to include photos, serial numbers, receipts – anything that might help improve your chances of proving ownership. Put the inventory in a fire proof safe or at another location so it will be available should you need it.

Myth #3: If I lose my home, the insurance company will pay for anything I tell them I owned at the time of the loss.

Fact: Your insurance company will likely ask you to make a list of everything you owned and include specific details – date of purchase, cost, possibly serial numbers, etc. This is nearly impossible for the average person to document just by memory, so having a home inventory already in order is the best way to avoid this if you should ever find yourself in a position of total loss. It’s a good idea to include photos, serial numbers, receipts – anything that might help improve your chances of proving ownership. Put the inventory in a fire proof safe or at another location so it will be available should you need it.

Myth #4: If I file a claim, my homeowner’s insurance premium will go up.

Fact: While there are many companies that will look at your claims history, many factors go into determining how much your premiums are. Filing a single claim over a number of years will not generally raise your rates. To be on the safe side, however, it’s always a good idea to thoroughly think through making a claim if the damages to your home are minimal. If the total cost of the repair is not much more than the deductible you carry, you may want to just do the repairs yourself. It may cost you a bit more upfront, but it could save you from an increased premium that will cost you more over the coming years.

Myth #5: I should use the purchase price of my home to determine the homeowner’s insurance coverage I choose.

Fact: A common mistake many homeowners make is getting a quote for insurance by using the purchase price of their home The purchase price of your home, however, includes the land beneath it, which, of course, would not need replacing should your home sustain damage. Your coverage should reflect the replacement cost of your home. And don’t forget to include the items from the interior of your home that you’d need replaced as well – televisions, furniture, appliances, etc.

Make sure you take these factors into consideration should you be in need of updating your policy or are looking for a new policy; it could save you myriad hassles in the event of a disaster.