Insuring your home against floods will give you peace of mind, even in the rainy seasons.
Flood insurance protects the structure of your home, as well as your personal items that are ruined or damaged by flooding. Because homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover flood damage, your home must be insured under a separate flood policy.
Including flood coverage in comprehensive home insurance policies increases the premiums and deductibles, making it less likely for homeowners to buy and insurance carriers to sell the home insurance package. As a result, most homeowners insurance policies do not include flood damage in their list of coverages.
The most common insurer against flood damage is The National Flood Insurance Program by FEMA. However, you cannot purchase flood insurance directly from the NFIP without an insurance agent, or if you live in an area that is not qualified for NFIP coverage. Whether you go with NFIP or a private insurer, there will be a 30-day waiting period before your policy goes into effect, so don’t procrastinate!