The Recent Hurricanes Remind Us how Importance of Flood Insurance

Got flood insurance? If you’re like most Colorado homeowners, chances are that you probably don’t. In fact, the majority of American homeowners have never purchased a flood insurance policy and that puts them at serious risk in the event of a natural disaster.

Recent Hurricanes Have Left Thousands Out of Luck

Watching the horrible events unfold in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands has opened a lot of people’s eyes to just how important flood insurance really is. After being inundated by flood waters – only to realize that their home insurance policies wouldn’t cover this type of flooding – thousands of homeowners have found themselves faced with either putting up a lot of money to repair the damages or completely walk away from their homes.

It Could Happen to You, Too

Although no one wants to think about the chances of major flooding, it’s important to assess the risks and make plans in advance. While Colorado isn’t likely to be hit by a hurricane anytime soon (or ever!), that doesn’t mean that we are in the clear. In fact, the Rocky Mountain region is frequently hit by high volumes of rain, ice, and snow, all of which can cause rivers to rise, along with flash flooding. And no matter how large or small a flood is, floodwaters are a force to be reckoned with, and they can do a whole lot of damage in a very short window of time. Whether it’s only the basement or the whole house that is affected, a flood can cause expensive damages that can compromise the safety and structural integrity of your entire home. Are you prepared?

Having Flood Insurance Is Important – No Matter Where You Live

It’s easy to assume that if you don’t live in a high-risk flood zone that you’ll never need flood insurance. Too many homeowners make the mistake of believing that a major flood could never impact them. After the catastrophic hurricanes that have recently impacted areas that may have previously been believed to pose a low risk of flooding, however, it has become immediately clear why it’s crucial to buy a flood insurance policy no matter where you live or what type of risk to your home you perceive. After all, most home insurance policies don’t cover damages that occur as a result of flooding, and even policies that cover some level of flooding will likely be extremely limited. A flood insurance policy goes “above and beyond” that of homeowners insurance to ensure that you and your home are well protected, come what may.

Further Protecting Yourself After a Flood

Having a comprehensive flood insurance policy in place isn’t enough to protect yourself and your property, though. We’ve learned a lot of lessons by watching what has happened in the areas of the country impacted by hurricanes and flooding, and one of those lessons concerns the proliferation of storm scammers. The problem with individuals and corrupt businesses taking advantage of distressed homeowners after periods of flooding has become so significant, in fact, that we dedicated an entire blog post to the subject. You need to exercise caution when hiring a flood restoration company to come to your aid after flooding. For best results, you should obtain an estimate of the work to be done to restore your home immediately after flooding. This will allow you to submit your claim to your insurer as quickly and accurately as possible.

To protect your home and your loved ones from the repercussions of flood damage, speak with an insurance agent who is well-versed in flood insurance and be sure to visit the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) website, which can be found at FloodSmart.gov. You can also call the FEMA Flood Insurance Hotline (1-800-621-FEMA) for any flood insurance questions you may have (simply select your language and hit “option 2” for flood insurance). And it goes without saying that the industry experts at Abbotts Fire & Flood are ready to help you navigate the chaos and complexity of disaster restoration.