How Does Flood Insurance Really Work?

Living in Pembroke Pines, FL, there’s an unpleasant issue that comes up every year. The region is at risk of getting hit by hurricanes. It’s something Floridians have learned to endure, but as a homeowner, you need to understand flood risks and flood insurance. It’s a special type of insurance, and it’s a bit strange compared to a standard homeowner’s policy. To help you, McCormick Insurance Inc. has this easy breakdown of flood insurance and how it works.

Coverage

As always, the specific coverage of any policy will vary. These are generalizations that may not apply to your individual policy. That said, flood insurance is generally designed to cover three things: structural damage, cleaning, and lost belongings. That said, most policies do not cover all three. Instead, flood insurance is usually split into policies for the home and policies for personal belongings.

To clarify, flood insurance is designed to cover water damage that comes from a flood that affects two or more acres of land. This does not apply to a broken pipe in the house, but it definitely applies to hurricane-related flooding. Between the two types of coverage, you can have the house and valuables within properly protected.

Finding a Policy

Flood insurance policies are largely structured around specially designated flood zones. FEMA marks the designations. If you live in one of their flood zones, you may be required to have flood insurance for your home. If you aren’t in the zone, the policies will differ and in some cases, it may be difficult to get coverage at all.

The best way to check your flood zones and coverage options for your home in Pembroke Pines, FL, is to talk to a representative. McCormick Insurance Inc. agents can go over the zoning, help you analyze your personal risk, and look at policies that are appropriate for your home.