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I've heard flood insurance is pretty inexpensive if you aren't in a flood zone and I know its true that flooding can happen practically anywhere. Its also something you would really wish you had in the event that your house did flood.
So how many on here bother with this?
Have any of you experienced flooding with or without coverage?
Any negative experiences making a claim?
I've seen some really unexpected areas flood over the years (not just in Houston) flood insurance just seems like it would be a good idea just about anywhere.
We have flood insurance. It is very affordable for non-flood zones. People are crazy not to have it. We live near the top of a huge hill not near any water. This region has very hilly terrain and more rainfall that Seattle. Floods can occur via surface runoff water. When the ground gets over saturated with water and a slow heavy rain storm occurs, the ground can't soak up the water and it rushes everywhere. Any house can flood. The storm sewers overflow and backup into the sewer lines in the basements. That's how many houses flood---from the inside.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SoHoVe
Have any of you experienced flooding with or without coverage?
I don't have personal experience with insurance. I've been in two floods while driving my car. They were terrifying experiences. The manholes blow off and 15 foot geysers of water rise up out of them. Steep hilly streets look like Niagara Falls. The water starts filling up so fast in the road. I was in a traffic jam before it happened. When I saw the water, I pulled my car over the median strip and hightailed it out of there. A 15 minute car ride home ended up taking 5 hours because I had to circle around the county to stay on high roads. Then I hear on the news, both floods, that people died in the areas I escaped.
After Hurricane Ivan, I did volunteer work helping people find long-term temporary housing. I saw widespread damage first hand. I saw people lose absolutely everything. For example, one family lost their home and two businesses (husband owned a construction company and the wife owned a convenience store), and they lost all of their vehicles too. Many people lost businesses, homes and their vehicles.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SoHoVe
Any negative experiences making a claim?
What I've seen is people who have flood insurance have their houses completely renovated every 10 years. The people who don't have flood insurance are living in dumps. From the devastation I've seen, it's worth paying the higher premiums for houses in flood areas.
I live on the southern outskirts of Houston. I refuse to buy a home in a flood zone, and I refuse to own a home without flood insurance. Mine is under $400 a year. That plus the equivalent in homeowners insurance plus the $3k+ in windstorm is worth the peace of mind.
I always have flood insurance and to my knowledge I've never lived in a flood zone. It's relatively inexpensive, and experience has shown me that homeowners insurance will not cover many of the kinds of water-related damage that can happen to any home, no matter where it's located.
We chose to have it. I opted to have everything (Earthquake, Tornado, Flood, etc)- because even though we aren't in a flood zone, you just can never be too careful!
My new house will basically be on top of a hill. I'm not concerned about public sewer back-ups because it has a septic tank; I'm not concerned about heavy rains because it is a newer house and the foundation is waterproofed properly. The only thing I will do is install a back-flow preventer on my sewage line leading to the septic tank. In my opinion, flood insurance would be pointless for my situation. The concerning thing for me is getting mine subsidence insurance since my area was previously undermined.
What I've seen is people who have flood insurance have their houses completely renovated every 10 years. The people who don't have flood insurance are living in dumps.
Certainly important to have it but that's no consolation prize. I know in my are if your house is that prone to flood damage they usually buy you out.
I've heard flood insurance is pretty inexpensive if you aren't in a flood zone and I know its true that flooding can happen practically anywhere. Its also something you would really wish you had in the event that your house did flood.
So how many on here bother with this?
Have any of you experienced flooding with or without coverage?
Any negative experiences making a claim?
I've seen some really unexpected areas flood over the years (not just in Houston) flood insurance just seems like it would be a good idea just about anywhere.
Yeah, better stock up on some of that "volcano" insurance too....See Homer Simpson for details....
I live near but not in a flood zone so I inquired about getting it.
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Smart move, the neighborhood I used to live in got hit in 72 during Agnes and most houses had it up to just below the first floor. They got hammered 2 or 3 years ago and there was a lot of people in homes that were never flooded without insurance because it never flooded in 100+ years.
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