Protect Your Valuables with Flood Insurance

 

Think Safety when faced with flooding!

Plan ahead! If flooding occurs, be familiar with how to shut off electricity, gas and water at main switches and valves. Knowing how to do this ahead of time will help you to react quickly and minimize potential damages.

When floodwater from a severe, week-long storm started pouring through the walls of Becky Bentley’s house, she knew she had to get out fast. In the short time it took her and her son to run upstairs to grab the family cat, the rapidly rising water trapped them on the second floor of their home.

With the help of a neighbor, they manage to escape. But when the water receded and Becky finally returned to her Atlanta property, she discovered most of the contents and drywall were unsalvageable. She thought her homeowners insurance would cover the losses; but found out most standard homeowners policies do not cover flood damage.

“The water got so high, everything was just destroyed,” Becky told the National Flood Insurance Program. “I didn’t have flood insurance because I wasn’t in a flood plain, so we were told we didn’t need it.”

Floods are the number one natural disaster in the United States. While some regions, such as coastal areas, are more flood-prone than others, the unpredictability of climate change exposes all property to some risk. And torrential rainfall isn’t the only culprit. Flooding is also caused by mudflows, rapid snowmelt during spring and ice jams during winter.

Even an inch of water can cause thousands of dollars in damage, shocking those who find out flood losses are specifically excluded from their homeowners and personal umbrella policies.

Flood insurance provides the protection you need to cover losses after a flood ravages your property. The cost of premiums vary based on the amount of coverage you need, what’s covered and your property’s flood risk.

New flood insurance policies usually have a 30-day waiting period, so don’t delay in protecting one of your most valuable assets—your home.

Controlling Flooding Due to Surface Water

The primary reason your basement and home can flood during a rainstorm is due to poor or blocked drainage. To help you keep water from seeping into places it’s not wanted, Alliance Insurance Services offers the following precautionary measures you can take to protect your home and its belongings from flooding due to surface water.

• Since leaves are the biggest contributor to clogged gutters, clean the gutters and the drainage downspouts attached to your roof at least twice a year.
• Make sure that the ground area within 10 feet of your home slopes away from your home’s foundation.
• Extend downspouts at least 10 feet from your home.
• Direct water flow from downspouts away from your home, being careful not to discharge the water too close to adjacent property.

• Have your roof carefully inspected at least once a year by a capable person to check the roof thoroughly for missing shingles, degraded roof components, separation of the roof from chimneys and exhaust pipes, and other roof problems.
• If your house or commercial lot is at risk of flooding from a higher neighboring property, consider building a solid wall masonry fence on the water-vulnerable boundaries of your property.
• Preventive landscaping can also help reduce the chance of a mudslide or flooding.
• Be vigilant for warning signs of an impending water flood problem. This includes water stains and mold growth on ceilings and walls, the underside of attic roof sheathing, and mold water pooling, water dripping, water leaks, or mold growth anywhere inside your home or business.

Call us today at 336-377-9003 to ensure your homeowners insurance policy protects you against flooding due to surface water and the others ways we can help you to protect your home and its contents.