Does everyone live in a flood zone?

Yes. You do not need to live near water to be flooded. Floods are caused by storms, melting snow, hurricanes, and water backup due to inadequate or overloaded drainage systems, dam or levee failure, etc.

Is flood damage covered by my homeowner policy?

No. You can protect your home, business, and belongings with flood insurance provided by the National Flood Insurance Program.

You can insure up to $250,000 for the building and $100,000 for your contents.

Can you buy flood insurance no matter what your risk is?

Yes. It does not matter whether your flood risk is high, medium, or low, you can buy flood insurance as long as your community participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and your property is not in a Federally Protected Area.

And, it is a good idea to buy even in low or moderate risk areas: between 20 and 30 percent of all flood insurance claims come from low- to moderate-risk areas.

What is the cost for flood insurance for homes in low- to moderate-risk areas?

The Preferred Risk Policy is available for owners of 1-4 family residential buildings with a favorable loss history. For just over $100 a year you can purchase $20,000 for the building and $5,000 for your contents.

You can buy up to $250,000 for the building and $60,000 for your contents.

Is flood insurance affordable?

Yes. The average flood insurance policy costs about $300 a year for about $100,000 of building coverage.

In comparison, a disaster home loan can cost you more than $300 a month for $50,000 over 18.5 years.

Is flood insurance easy to get?

Yes. Contact us.

Can renters purchase flood insurance on their belongings?

Yes. Up to $100,000 contents coverage is available for homeowners and renters.

Whether you rent or own your own home or business, make sure to ask your insurance agent about contents coverage. It is not automatically included with the building coverage.

How much flood insurance coverage is available for non-residential buildings and contents?

Up to $500,000 of coverage is available for non-residential buildings.

Up to $500,000 of coverage is available for contents of non-residential buildings.

Is there a waiting period before the coverage goes into effect?

There is usually a 30-day waiting period before the coverage goes into effect.

Plan ahead so you're not caught without flood insurance when a flood threatens your home or business.

What about federal disaster assistance?

Federal disaster assistance is not the answer.

Federal disaster asssistance is only available if the President declares a disaster.

More than 90 percent of all disasters in the United States are not Presidentially declared.

Flood insurance pays even if a disaster is not declared.

How do I get information on flood maps from FEMA?

Visit FEMA at http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/fhm/hm_main.shtm

How do I contact the National Flood Insurance Program(NFIP)?

Visit their site at www.fema.gov/business/nfip/