Astoria, OR, can experience severe storms with high winds and torrential rains coming in from the Pacific Ocean. These storms can result in localized flooding that can negatively affect your home. Flood insurance can protect your home from these adverse events. The experts at Linda Dugan Insurance can explain how this protection works.
Flood Insurance: Not Just for Flood Zones
It’s a common misconception that flood insurance only protects those living in a designated flood zone. In reality, flood insurance helps pay for damages to anyone who purchases it and experiences a flood in their home. Interestingly, most flood damage claims come from homeowners who don’t live in floodplains. This is partly because the current floodplain map used by the United States is outdated and needs revision due to climate change. Additionally, severe storms can stall and dump torrential downpours in isolated areas, resulting in flooding when rainwater has nowhere to go.
The Importance of How Water Enters Your Home
The way water enters your home determines which insurance policy covers the damages. Your homeowner’s insurance covers water damage if a tornado or severe thunderstorm breaks windows and rainwater enters through that breach. The same applies if part or all of your roof is ripped off. However, flood insurance will cover the damages if rainwater accumulates outside your home and rises enough to enter it. Your home insurance may cover floods in the basement or the lower levels of your home due to a failed sump pump following storms if you have an add-on provision covering such risks.
Let Linda Dugan Insurance, serving residents in Astoria, OR, detail how you can fully protect your home from floodwaters. Contact our office today to get started.