Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Home Flood Insurance

Home flood insurance is a necessity depending upon your location. If you live in an area that is prone to storms of all sorts and you are aware of the damage caused despite pre-emptive measures, then this type of insurance is a must. The NFIP or National Flood Insurance Program was established to provide insurance plans to those living in areas that are constantly at risk of water damage.

If the community or neighborhood you belong to is already part of the NFIP, you could sign up with the help of an insurance agent. If the community you are in does not have coverage, ask assistance or consult regional legislators on ways to transform it. As a homeowner, flood insurance is a good investment because you never know when nature could strike. This insurance is a policy that most homeowners neglect since they do not live near the coast or near large body of water. However, the climate is unpredictable so even if you do not live in these areas, floodwaters could still affect your home.

A flood insurance policy can avoid extra costs and future headaches. Make sure to research and evaluate the cost of flood insurance and what it covers, as well as your homeowner's policy. While the NFIP helps people affected by water damage, the funds are limited and there is no guarantee that you will get enough to cover the cost of losses incurred. Furthermore, the President should declare the flooding to be a disaster. When you have a flood insurance policy, the insurance company will reimburse you of the losses you incur from the flood of the expenses on repairs due to damage caused by flood.

You have to present a list to your insurance provider of the damage in your home and they will take care of the rest. The last thing you need after a flooding occurs is to worry on how to pay your bills for the next month. That is why, regardless if your area is prone to flooding or not, a flood insurance is necessary because safety is always important. It would not be a good idea to wait until something untoward happens before you take action. Weigh your options well and decide if paying a small amount every month is worthwhile to protect your home and family. Keep in mind that when flood happens, it would be too late and you could end up paying for the damages caused by flood.

Without a flood insurance, there is a chance of facing a big risk that could seriously lead you to being broke during an inconvenient and unexpected time. Remember that our homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage and even a few inches of water inside your home can result to thousands of dollars lost. Flood insurance is available to homeowners and renters. Keep in mind that there is a thirty-day waiting period as soon as you purchase a flood insurance before it goes into effect, thus, it is important to have a policy as soon as possible before flood waters threaten your home and your family.


http://EzineArticles.com/6138792

Monday, August 29, 2011

Protecting Your Home Against the Losses Involved With Flood Damage

When buying a home within a flood zone you are required to purchase flood insurance through FEMA, Federal Emergency Management Agency. This coverage protects homeowners and mortgage companies. It protects from the losses that occur from water damage to your homes structure and contents when flood damage wreaks havoc to your home. If you live in an area that is prone to flash floods it is advisable to go ahead and protect your assets with the additional insurance that cover flood damage.

It can also be useful to have if your home is in an area with a high water table and you have a home with a basement. Basements are often the storage compartments for all memorabilia that has been collected for holidays, camping gear, tools, out of season clothes etc. If your basement flooded would you be able to financially replace all of the items damaged beyond repair? This is where flood insurance would be useful. It protects your belongings from the unexpected. Heck, none knows when the electricity is going to go out rendering the sump pump useless and water damage to occur in a basement.

Excess flood insurance is the term used when flood insurance is purchased to not only protect your swelling but also the contents within your home. This insurance is not provided through FEMA but instead is often obtained through your insurance provider. Your insurance company will act as the middle man for you in all dealings with FEMA. It is important to have excess flood insurance especially when you live in an area prone to floods. Most flood zones, even 100 year flood zones, require the purchase of additional insurance to cover your dwelling.

Many events can cause flooding. Flood damage can be caused by excess rainfall within a short period of time, snow and ice melting too fast, a leak from a pool or a clogged storm drain which in a sub division can cause massive issue for home owners.

It is important to research the area in which you are interested in purchasing a home. It is important that you add flood insurance to your budget when planning for a home purchase within a flood zone. The cost of flood insurance will depend on several factors; the size of your home, its value and the risk associated with the area in which your home is built. The expense can add hundreds of dollars to your insurance policy so it is something to really look into before signing on the dotted line. Most mortgage companies are upfront when offering a mortgage about the type of homeowner and flood insurance the purchaser will need. It is so important to be covered in the event of a disaster accidental or natural.

If you have enjoyed this article from Kevin Germain at CPS please visit http://www.tcirestoration.com/ today where you will find useful information on flood damage.


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Friday, August 26, 2011

Japans Catastrophe and Why You Should Buy Flood Insurance Today: Time Is of the Essence

The tragic and recent events in Japan have once again reiterated just how important it is to have flood insurance to go with your home insurance policy, and the time to get it is now. Fortunately for Japan, it is very much at the front of technology when it comes to having construction reinforced for earthquakes. However, no one could have predicted the extent of damage that has occurred not because of the earthquake, but because of the ensuing tsunami that immediately followed. This article will explore the reasons you need to get flood insurance today, because time is of the essence.

First of all, your home insurance policy does not cover flood damage. Some people think that because their home has a water damage clause that this includes flood damage. This could not be further from the truth. Another one of those facts that many people do not realize is that there is a waiting period before your coverage begins if you wait until the spring to buy. When spring arrives, there is a 30 day waiting period from the time that your payment clears until the coverage actually begins. Another fact that many people do not realize is that the national flood insurance program is run by the government which means that in the case of flood damages, you are guaranteed that you'll get your reimbursement.

And even better, in comparison to other insurance policies, the cost is cheap. In some of the most expensive property markets, flood insurance is as cheap as $975 per year. Many people do not realize that even 1 inch of flooding can cause $8000 of damage. Some other benefits of flood insurance are that if you need to make a claim, you don't have to worry about premiums going up.

While office contents insurance can insure the contents and materials inside of your business, flood insurance for business will cover the same contents in the case that a flood causes damage to a business. In Florida, people do not have basements, but in regions of the United States where basements are regularly found, homeowners can purchase a basement insurance option for their flood insurance. This basement option can take care of large and expensive utility items like washers and dryers, and furnaces and pumps.

Unfortunately, it sometimes takes a catastrophe in another country to motivate people here at home to take the important steps necessary to protect their home. To learn from another's experience is called wisdom. The bottom line is that none of us knows what's going to happen. That's why you need to take action today and purchase your flood insurance so that you can begin the 30 day waiting period that occurs before coverage begins.


http://EzineArticles.com/6074900

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Long Island New York Homeowners Insurance - Do I Need Flood Insurance?

Record snowfall totals and tornados mark the wild weather we have seen in the US so far this year...and now, massive flooding in the Midwest of record proportions (going back 75 years). But can flooding of this magnitude happen here in New York? We know from history that it can.

Gloria was the last major hurricane to hit the coastal Long Island New York region back in 1985. Prior to that, it was hurricane Donna in 1960. There were other named storms that hit the LI NY area prior to Donna as well...including the great "Long Island Hurricane" of 1821. That storm center hit Jamaica Bay and, if you can imagine this, flooded Manhattan Island from Battery Park all the way up to Canal Street! Statistically, we're due for a named storm in our area and if you recall, hurricane Earl (a monster storm) came dangerously close to hitting us in the summer of 2010.

Hurricane Gloria caused $900 million in damage (equal to $1.84 billion in 2011). Although most of the damage came from her winds, still, many homes along the south shore of eastern Long Island were lost. Luckily when Gloria made landfall on Long Island, we were experiencing low tide. Had it been high tide, hundreds of additional homes would have been lost due to flooding.

But it's not just hurricane exposures we have. As most Long Islander's know, Nor'easters (and often powerful ones) also strike our area...and far more often than hurricanes. Most commonly seen in winter months, Nor'easters are storms unique to our area due to how they formed and where they strike. They are formed by the convergence of two storms (one that approaches from the Midwest or southern Canada, and one that moves up along the Gulf Stream). They converge right along (or just off of) our coastline and become very powerful. Flooding almost always occurs from these storms and many homes suffer great damage or total losses as a result...especially along the south shore of Long Island.

So what does this all mean for us? Well for starters, you have to remember that Long Island homeowners insurance DOES NOT cover losses due to flooding. Only a flood policy protects you from this peril. It has a maximum coverage limit of $250,000 for residential property, and $500,000 for business property. Flood policies are written by government insurers (FEMA) but are brokered by private insurance professionals.

When you consider the affordability of a flood policy compared to potential losses, it makes perfect sense to supplement your homeowners insurance policy with a flood policy.

For more information about flood insurance on Long Island, talk to your insurance professional today.


http://EzineArticles.com/6266500

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Insurance Umbrella Policy- A Complete Buyers Guide

Insurance umbrella is the best policy when it comes to providing additional liability coverage for legal claims and other out-sized grievances against the property owners and vehicle insurance policies. When the other liability insurance policies lapse it is time for the insurance umbrella policy to kick in and adjust the difference by making up for it. The claims which are not covered by the property or vehicle insurance are also covered by this policy.

There are different values of an insurance umbrella policy which ranges anywhere between proximately one million dollars to ten million dollars. The coverage amount on these policies is high but so is the amount deducted this in turn makes the premium of this policy highly affordable.

Important Points From The Buyers Guide:

1.The most important thing that you are required to do is gather all the important pieces of information on your home or vehicle insurance policies. This includes the contact numbers and the liability coverage provided by the insurance this will help in the easy verification of facts.

2.You are required to synchronize your existing home or vehicle insurance policy with the insurance umbrella policy. This is important because an umbrella policy comes in use after your previous policies gets exhausted.

3.Dealing with a single company is an advisable thing to do because it reduces the bother of having to deal with numerous companies who will argue over the issues of liability responsibility. Thus choose the company which serves you first.

4.It best to do some research before buying this policy. Contact various different companies and take an estimate from them on the umbrella policies they provide this will give you the benefit to compare and contrast the estimated amounts and then choose the one which suits you the best.

The people who reside in expensive places and those who lead a lavish lifestyle require this type of policy because general insurance resources will fail to cover the risks of a high lawsuit.

Cheryl Ross is an expert author on various books and articles on insurance resources. In this article she has made the readers aware of the importance of an insurance umbrella policy. For details visit this blog http://www.getinsurancehelp.net/


http://goarticles.com/article/Insurance-Umbrella-Policy-A-Complete-Buyers-Guide/3766618/