“Water” You Waiting For? Get Flood Insurance Today

flooding  interior

 

After the six weeks of winter predicted by Punxsutawney Phil, the weather has started to warm up. The snow and ice that covered the ground are melting quickly. Between the melting snow and the rain showers, March is considered flood safety awareness month. For those who do not live in designated flood zones, this doesn’t seem like an issue. However, flooding can occur in many areas, and there is a special type of insurance necessary to cover the damages.

Would a flood be covered by homeowner’s insurance? The short answer is no. Every insurance policy comes with a list of covered perils. A peril is a harm, such as flooding, fire, or theft. If a peril is covered, then the policy will pay for the damages. Flooding is not a covered peril in most homeowner’s policies. Instead, homeowners must look into flood insurance. Certain areas are so prone to flooding that it is required to have flood insurance. Areas with lower risks are not required to have that coverage. While flood insurance is most important for those in designated flood zones, it is available and recommended outside of those zones as well. If you live in an area with a lot of snow and ice, or near a creek or river that could overflow, flood insurance might be right for you.

If you look at your policy’s covered perils, you might see water damage or water backup listed. The average person would assume that water damage would include flooding. Water damage and flood damage are entirely different. Water damage or water backup includes broken pipes, malfunctioning washing machines, and overflowing bathtubs to name a few. It can even include rainwater in certain circumstances. The main difference between the two is that flood damage comes from the overflowing or runoff of water from a natural source. If the damage comes from the waist-deep water making its way into the home and damaging the floors, it is not covered under ordinary homeowner’s insurance policies. While water damage and flooding might seem similar enough to be used interchangeably, they are completely different in regard to insurance.

Make sure to take care of your home and property from flooding this March. Be sure to call us, email us, or check out our Facebook page if you have any questions about flood insurance.

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