Murray: Your Partner in Florida Flood Insurance
Florida Flood Insurance
Many homeowners are surprised to learn their homeowners insurance policies don’t include flood insurance. That’s right: Most homeowners policies won’t cover flood damage.
This fact puts residents along or near Florida’s Treasure Coast in a difficult position. For coastal residents and others who live in flood-and-hurricane-prone areas, proper flood coverage isn’t optional—it’s an absolute must.
How Does Typical Home Insurance Define ‘Flooding?’
If a pipe in your home busted and flooded your floor, would it be considered a “flooding event” and thus, not reimbursed by your homeowner’s policy? Or would it be covered?
If you answered, “Yes, this event should be covered under my home insurance policy” (or something similar), you’re correct. A flooded floor or other water damage to the home caused by a busted pipe (or even a malfunctioning appliance) would likely be covered by a typical homeowners insurance policy.
What kinds of events then, are classified as “flooding” and are thus not covered under a standard home insurance policy? Obviously, a heavy rainfall event wherein water rose into your home would be considered flooding.
However, other kinds of damage classified as “flood damage” under standard policies aren’t quite so obvious. In other words, your house doesn’t need to flood with rainwater to sustain “flood damage.” As specified in typical homeowners and flood insurance policies, flood damage also includes:
- Rain damage
- Storm surge damage
- Mud damage
It’s a guarantee that your existing home insurance (or any home policy you’re considering for purchase) won’t cover the above events.
Where Can I Buy Policy in South Florida?
The overwhelming majority of flood insurance policies across the US—including in Florida—are sold under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The NFIP is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
To purchase FEMA flood insurance, you must go through an NFIP-Direct-affiliated agency.
What Type of Flood Insurance Do I Need?
NFIP flood insurance policies come in two types:
Standard
These policies are designed for residents who live in communities with an active and ongoing flood management plan. Such communities must also be able to demonstrate that they have enacted certain NFIP guidelines to reduce flood-based damages.
Preferred Risk
These flood policies are designed for residents living in low-to-moderate risk zones. Such residents aren’t necessarily required to purchase flood insurance, but have this option in case they experience a small flood or even an unexpectedly large one
Murray Insurance Services is Ready to Protect Your Florida Home from Floods
If you’re shopping for flood insurance anywhere in Florida, we’d love to hear from you! As an NFIP-Direct-affiliated agency, we can help you find and purchase an appropriate policy.
We’re glad to speak with you and to answer all your questions too. call Murray today at 863-763-5551 for a free quote! Or for a free online quote, just fill out the free online quote form.