Why you should carry flood insurance

Most of the time, flood insurance is not one of those things that most people think about. After all, Oregon is not far away from any coast, such as the part of the country that was recently hit hard by Harvey. Rain rarely occurs in the desert southwest. However, as Linda Dugan Insurance serving Astoria, OR notes, floods do hit our community from time to time, and, when they do, as happened in 2014, they can be devastating. Our area gets scant rainfall, but occasionally the year’s allotment can happen all at once.

The event of September 8, 2014, hit the area around Phoenix, including Mesa, in the early morning, eventually flooding the Emerald Acres neighborhood when the retention basin overflowed, sending water into nearby streets and eventually into an elementary school and about 200 homes. People were trapped in their homes, watching as the water relentlessly flowed inside. Roads were blocked, and many people found themselves trapped in flooded vehicles. Rain gauges throughout the city measured more than three inches in a six-hour period, with one measuring a mind-numbing 4.6 inches. The cleanup afterward was time-consuming and expensive.

Flood insurance is not covered by a homeowner’s policy and has to be purchased separately. A flood insurance policy has a 30-day waiting period attached to it to prevent people from waiting to buy a policy until just before a rainstorm, Home and business owners who carry flood insurance at least have the peace of mind of knowing that they will be covered if an event like 2014 happens again.

If you have any questions concerning flood insurance, feel free to contact Linda Dugan Insurance serving Astoria, OR.