Flood Insurance
Floods are the most common natural disaster in the United States, and yet flood damage is rarely covered under homeowner’s and renter’s policies.
Insurance to protect you from the high costs of flood damage is not just for residents living in a designated flood plain. It also provides coverage for your property damaged through groundwater intrusion, which is typically excluded from your homeowner’s policy. Most mortgage lenders require flood insurance for property located in a designated flood plain, but it can also be purchased by those not living in a flood plain. We can help you determine if flood insurance is a good choice for you.
The cost of your flood insurance most often correlates with the amount of risk associated with your building site. Depending on where you live, you may opt to incorporate mitigating measures to lower your risk and greatly lower your premiums. A homeowner with an elevated home, with a first floor elevated three feet above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE), can expect to save 60% or more on annual flood insurance premiums. If you have a building on the coast or in a flood-prone area, this could be a substantial savings.
Flood Insurance FAQs
Did you know that if your home is in a flood-prone area that your community may be participating in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)? If so, you might be eligible for flood insurance at a very low cost through the federal government. Insurance companies are able to issue flood insurance that is administered by the federal government at a modest rate.
You may also qualify for a discount on your flood insurance if your community participates in the Community Rating System (CRS). This discount is calculated based on community-wide efforts to reduce flooding risk.
Look up your address in the FEMA Flood Map Service Center to learn more about your risk for flood damage.
FEMA also has a page devoted to providing tips to homeowners on things they can do to reduce the cost of their flood insurance: https://www.floodsmart.gov/costs/how-can-i-pay-less-for-my-flood-insurance.