There are three major myths floating around about flood insurance, and if you buy into these myths, you could be taking an unnecessary risk. These myths are that coverage is only needed for people in flood zones, that home insurance covers flooding, and that government programs take care of flood coverage. We’ll debunk these myths so you can understand the full extent of flood coverage and how it actually works.
Flooding is a risk no matter where you live.
The first myth is that insurance is only needed for people living in designated flood zones. In reality, flooding is a potential risk everywhere and the damage can be devastating. Just because you don’t live in a high flood risk area doesn’t mean it’ll never happen to you. You need specialized insurance coverage to help protect your home from rising waters—even if you’re not in a flood zone.
Home insurance doesn’t typically cover flood damage.
Another myth is that home insurance automatically includes flood coverage. In reality, that is usually not the norm, and you should always assume you aren’t covered unless your home insurance policy specifically says otherwise. If it does not include coverage for floods, you’ll need to get a separate insurance policy to help protect your home from the unexpected.
Few homes are covered by government programs.
The third myth is that government programs have taken care of damages caused by flooding. There is a National Flood Insurance Program that guarantees the availability of insurance in specific areas. However, this only covers a small percentage of homes. If you do not have coverage through a government program, you’ll need to find a policy that fits your needs.