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Article Series: Hurricanes
Hurricane Facts, Tips and Safety Protocols
Buy
Flood Insurance If You Live In a Hurricane Zone
Too
many people learn a lesson about flood insurance the hard
way. The morning after a hurricane blows
through and their home has sustained water damage, they discover
that their homeowner’s insurance policy does not cover damage
inflicted by flooding. Many times people who thought they were
too high up or too far inland to get flooded by a hurricane,
and chose not to get flood coverage, are left wondering how
they are going to replace everything they have lost once their
home is destroyed. If hurricanes like Katrina, Rita, Hugo,
and Andrew have taught coastal dwellers and even those a little
further inland anything, it is the importance of flood insurance.
In many immediate coastal and low-lying areas, residents are
required to carry flood insurance on their properties. If you
live in a coastal area that does not require flood insurance,
and you think that means you don’t need it, think again. Just
because your particular area hasn’t seen a bad storm in awhile
or just because your house is on stilts or just because you
are not beachfront does not mean you shouldn’t have coverage.
All it takes is one major storm, especially a major storm that
makes landfall during high tide, to wipe away everything. It
can indeed happen to you, and if it does, and you are uninsured,
then you may never recover.
It is not just the immediate coastal areas that need to worry
about flood insurance, and it is not just the areas for which
flood insurance is required. Approximately 80% of hurricane
flood damage to private homes happens in areas not considered
“flood zones” by local officials and where flood insurance
is not required. Keep in mind that hurricanes are very large
storms, often spanning hundreds of miles, and once they make
landfall, their rainmaking potential can cover several states
well inland and well outside of so-called “hurricane zones.”
Consider Hurricane Fran, a category 3 storm, which made landfall
in North Carolina in 1996. Though the North Carolina took the
brunt of the wind damage, the storm dumped 11 inches of rain
over western Virginia, causing serious flooding and 26 deaths.
While western Virginia may not be the obvious place to get
flood insurance to protect your home from hurricane damage,
the track Fran took was far from unusual. Many land falling
hurricanes in the eastern Carolinas caused severe flooding
in Virginia and the upstate regions of North and South Carolina.
To help determine if you should get flood insurance to protect
yourself from hurricane damage, even if you are further inland,
do your homework. Familiarize yourself with the elevation of
your home, and research the history of flooding in the area.
Has a tropical system caused flooding your town before? Then
flood insurance may be a worthwhile investment. It only takes
the one storm to come through and destroy your property.
A
common mistake people make is to assume that their normal
house insurance protects them from flood damage. This is almost
never the case. Flood insurance must usually be added onto
your basic house insurance policy. Most insurance companies
insist you purchase this insurance before the start of hurricane
season for the policy to be valid that year. Don’t wait until
a storm threatens to call up your agent to get a little extra
insurance on the house! Of course, it goes without saying that
if a storm does approach your area, you should make sure all
of your insurance documents are in a safe, waterproof, easy
to reach place. If you evacuate, take them with you. Your flood
insurance won’t do you any good if it floats away!
Emergencies and disasters can happen anytime, anywhere without warning. Protect yourself and your family. Click to see valuable emergency preparedness supplies and information. Be ready. Be prepared. I love this website. It's my SolveYourProblem recommendation.
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by SolveYourProblem.com
: 2007
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