What You Need To Know About Flood Insurance

As Americans learned from recent major floods in the Gulf Coast and the Midwest, flood damage can devastate homes, communities and lives. Having flood insurance can protect you, your families and your valuables in case of an unforeseen storm, hurricane or other natural disaster.

But many people don't realize that while homeowners insurance might cover damages such as a storm causing a tree to crash through your house or a lightening strike hitting your roof, most policies will not cover water damage from storms and floods. This means that if you are relying on just your home insurance for protection against flood damage, you could find yourself out of luck when you need it the most.

Flood insurance can be purchased as a separate insurance, usually as an addition to your overall home policy. The good news is that the price is the same no matter who you buy it from, since it's backed through the federal government as part of the National Flood Insurance Program. Coverage can range up to $250,000 to protect the home and $100,000 to cover its contents.

But flood insurance doesn't cover all forms of water damage. For example, damages caused by a broken water pipe during a cold spell will not be covered. However, if a river overflows because of a storm, any damages caused to your home would be covered.

In some areas with frequent flooding problems, mortgage lenders will require you to have flood insurance before closing a deal on your house. Deciding on if you need it in other areas can be slightly more challenging. The good news is that the National Flood Insurance Program offers a one-stop resource on their Web site that will guide you through the steps to determine your risk of flood damage and if you need additional coverage.

No matter what unique home insurance needs you have, HomeInsuranceQuotes.us can help you get the best rates from leading providers. Visit our Web site for a free home owner insurance quote and to get valuable information about home coverage.