Nothing positive can be said about hurricane season in South Florida. The possibility of tornadoes, projectiles being hurled at your home, and flood damage is nobody’s idea of a good time. What can make matters worse is not having the proper protection to repair your home and move forward with your life. When you contact Alpha Public Insurance Adjusters to file residential claims in Ft. Lauderdale, we guarantee we will work fast and efficiently to start your claims process and maximize your settlement.
Many homeowners believe they will be fully covered after a hurricane strikes and damages their property. They are later surprised to learn that their insurance company has denied their claim to repair flood damages caused by the storm. The fact is most homeowners’ insurance does not cover this type of damage. For complete protection, you will need to add on flood insurance. But is it really worth the additional money?
In this article, we explore the importance of this type of insurance and why every Floridian should get it.
Homeowners Insurance Doesn’t Cover Flood Damage
After the devastation of Hurricane Andrew in 1992, Irma in 2017, and Michael in 2018, many homeowners discovered that their policy did not cover flood damage. As a result, they were forced to pay for the cost of structural damages and personal belongings caused by flooding out of pocket. They believed they were protected because they had homeowners’ insurance, and they were – but not in the area of flood damage. Unless otherwise stated, homeowner’s insurance does not cover flooding and flood damage caused by natural disasters.
This is one of the many reasons we always advise our clients to read their policy. It contains a lot of legal jargon, which can be overwhelming, but it explains what you are covered for. Read your coverage before contacting your insurance company to save yourself time. If you do not understand all the terminology, there is a definition section that can help make sense of it until you have contacted Alpha Public Insurance Adjuster.
Low-Risk Flood Zones Also Need Insurance
In Florida, there are no areas that are free of flooding. Many areas are considered high-risk flood zones, while others are marked as low-risk or undetermined. In our line of work, almost every home insurance adjuster has come across a client whose property was damaged in a low-risk area. Many Floridians don’t think they need flood insurance because they are not close to the water, but we always recommend that individuals be insured. After Hurricane Irma, a lot of flood claims documented were in low-risk areas.
Flood insurance is relatively affordable, particularly for low-risk zones. More importantly, it gives homeowners the peace of mind that their homes will be protected when a tropical storm or hurricane passes through.
Do Renters Need Flood Insurance?
Yes. Renters can and should buy flood insurance to cover their personal possessions. Your landlord must cover the damage to the property, but that does not extend to your furniture and other belongings. Protect your own property in the event of a hurricane.
What is Not Covered by Flood Insurance?
Flood insurance has its fair share of exclusions. Like your homeowner’s insurance policy, you must carefully review what your flood insurance does not cover. In general, you will not receive compensation for:
- Any movement of the earth, even if it was caused by flooding.
- Damages caused by moisture, mold, and mildew that could have been prevented by the homeowner.
- Your personal belongings outside of your building.
- Flood damage that is unrelated to a natural disaster, such as plumbing leaks.
It’s a Good Investment
Do not think you are saving money by opting out of flood insurance. In Florida, it isn’t worth the risk. If the unexpected does happen, you may end up saving thousands in property damage, as flood insurance protects you from out-of-pocket costs.
Contact Alpha Public Insurance Adjusters
We want to protect our clients at every opportunity. We understand the difficulty in filing insurance claims, which is why we work with you to simplify the process. However, it is completely out of our hands when your policy does not cover the flooding caused by natural disasters, or if you were denied a claim for this reason.
We do everything we can to protect our clients from unscrupulous insurance companies. We encourage our clients to do everything they can to protect their property against damage. To file residential claims in Ft. Lauderdale, contact Alpha Public Insurance Adjuster. Call (888) 442-5742 to speak with an adjuster.
