25% OF HOMEOWNERS REGARDLESS OF FLOOD ZONE WILL EXPERIENCE A FLOOD EVENT OVER A 30-YEAR PERIOD.  

ANY home can flood. 

The reality is everyone lives in a flood zone. It is just a question of whether you live in a low, moderate, or high-risk area. Nearly 25% of all flood insurance claims are for properties located in lower-risk flood areas or property locations where flooding is not expected. The rapidly changing weather patterns as well as residential and business development may increase your chances of experiencing damage by flooding. 

Homeowner’s insurance or personal property policies do not include coverage for damage caused by flooding. 

Would you like a free flood risk evaluation to determine your home’s risk? Click here for help.

Use these tips to better prepare yourself.  

Here are 5 key facts about hurricanes and flooding:

1) Floods are getting more common: 

Floods are the most common type of natural disaster in the United States and they’re happening more frequently.  This is in part because of the way climate change affects weather patterns, according to the National Resources Defense Council. The increase of other types of weather events most likely to cause floods, such as wildfires and heavy rain, are happening more often, meaning flood events likely will, too. For example, the 2018 Southern California flooding events happened because heavy rainfall came down on post-wildfire burned land causing destruction to many communities.  

This matters to everyone. FEMA’s official position is that “anywhere it can rain, it can flood,” and say that more than 25% of flood claims come from people in low and moderate risk areas. Last year, 14 million Americans were affected by floods and 200 million were at risk, according to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy.  

2) Floods are the costliest type of home damage: 

A single inch of water can cause $25,000 in property damage, according to FEMA. In 1980, the average flood claim was $5,497, in 2017 average claim payouts were above $90,000. In 2018, the average payout was $42,580.

3) Know what risks your neighborhood faces:

Are you in an evacuation zone? Will the streets flood? Will the neighborhood entrances and exits be blocked? Seek out this information at the beginning of hurricane season. Check the evacuation maps created by your city or county. If you’re new to the neighborhood, ask your neighbors what happened during the last big storm. You can view these on your local county assessor’s website.

4) Most homeowners don’t have flood insurance: 

Many homeowners who don’t have flood coverage actually think they do, mostly because they assume it’s included in their homeowner’s policy. It is not. Only 15% of homeowners currently have flood insurance, a policy issued separately by the NFIP(National Flood Insurance Program).

The time to consider flood insurance is before future flooding events occur. Doing so will not only improve your protection, but it will also allow you to worry less when that storm hits.

Iscential can help with your Flood insurance and your homeowner’s insurance needs to make sure you have the protection that’s right for you. Many times consumers find that flood insurance only costs them $1 a day for coverage.

5) Buy non-perishable food that you will eat. 

Avoid the last-minute grocery store rush and hysteria. We’ve all seen the videos. You don’t want to wait hours in line and then get into the store and find that all the non-perishable foods are gone.

Have enough to feed your family for at least 72 hours. If you have a grill, make sure you have charcoal or gas so you can cook the food from your refrigerator. Fill plastic jugs with water and have an emergency supply of bottled water to drink after those jugs are gone. You need about a gallon per person per day. Remember pet food, and consider them when creating your water supply. A tip: Hurricane season is not the best time to stock your freezer.