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MYTH: “I live outside the floodplain, so I don’t need to buy flood insurance.”
FACT: More than 25 percent of the National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) flood
insurance claims are for structures outside identified flood plains.
DEFINITION of FLOOD-A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of two or more acres of normally dry land area of two or more properties from a) overflow of creeks, rivers or lakes b) unusual and rapid accumulation of runoff of surface waters from any source c) mudflows which are proximately caused by flood and are akin to a river of liquid and flowing mud on surface of normally dry land areas.
There's something you should know: Flood losses are not covered by your homeowners insurance policy.
Floodwaters have the power to damage not only your home and sense of security, but also your financial future. How can you protect your most important investment in case of flooding?
Many people wrongly believe that the U.S. government will take care of all their financial needs if they suffer damage due to flooding. The truth is that Federal disaster assistance is only available if the President formally declares a disaster. Even if you do get disaster assistance, it's often a loan you have to repay, with interest, in addition to your mortgage loan that you still owe on the damaged property.
Most importantly, you must consider the fact that if your home is flooded and disaster assistance isn't offered, you'll have to shoulder the massive damage costs alone. The bottom line is that if you're looking for secure protection from financial loss due to flood damage, Federal disaster assistance is not the answer(believe maximum available per home is $36,000).
When disaster strikes, flood insurance policyholder claims are paid even if a disaster is not Federally declared. Flood insurance means you'll be reimbursed for all your "covered" losses. And unlike Federal aid, it never has to be repaid.
In general, a policy does not take effect until 30 days after you purchase flood insurance. So, if the weather forecast announces a flood alert for your area and you go to purchase coverage, it's already too late. You will not be insured if you buy a policy a few days before a flood. If your home is located "outside" the AE flood zone, in zone X, the annual cost can range from 9 plans costing $150-$500 a year in 2019.
FLOOD INSURANCE FACTS:
1) Just a few inches of water from a flood can cause tens of thousands of dollars in damage.
2) Flood policies DO NOT cover finished basements.
3) Flood policies typically do NOT cover personal property located in a basement.
4) A flood can occur from a simple rain downpour without a body of water rising to your residence.
5) Flood policies typically only cover basement items such as: Circuit panel box, washer/dryer or deep freezer(not a refrigerator), hot water heater, furnace and clean up.
6) Losses are handled on an Actual Cash Value(ACV) basis NOT Replacement Cost.
7) More than 5.5 million people currently hold flood insurance policies in more than 21,800 communities across the U.S.
8) In a high-risk area, your home is more likely to be damaged by flood than by fire.
Please let me know if we can provide a flood quote for you
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