| Spring's finally here. The birds are starting to think | | | | the private sector willing to sell it to you(they get |
| about setting up shop in the local shrubbery, the | | | | twitchy at the thought of actually paying out a claim |
| temperatures are reaching positive numbers, and | | | | sometimes) your best bet is going to be to contact the |
| there's a light at the end of the very snow covered | | | | National Flood Insurance Program. Operated through |
| tunnel you've been sitting in all winter long. But-what's | | | | FEMA, the National Flood Insurance Program covers |
| going to happen to all the snow? | | | | most of the continental United States and is intended |
| April showers bring May flowers, but no one ever | | | | to provide flood coverage to areas perceived to be |
| bothers to tell you what January snow is going to bring! | | | | "high risk", therefore encouraging developers to |
| All that snow has to go somewhere, however, and the | | | | continue to build there even though the property is |
| gentle slopes and plains that dominate many inland | | | | almost guaranteed to be filled with water at some |
| highly populated areas provide poor drainage. That | | | | point or another. Insurance purchased through the NFIP |
| means that unfortunately, that somewhere often just | | | | is slightly more expensive that that bought from a |
| happens to be your basement! That's why it's so | | | | private provider, but it costs far less than being caught |
| important that even inland homeowners to have flood | | | | without flood protection when the water comes |
| insurance. | | | | sweeping through your living room. |
| BUYING FLOOD INSURANCE | | | | MINIMIZING THE DAMAGES |
| It's going to be up to your homeowners insurance | | | | Just because you have flood insurance doesn't mean |
| provider to determine whether you'll be able to | | | | you should leave the doors wide open to flood |
| purchase flood insurance through a private insurer. If | | | | damage. In fact, you'll find that the more steps you |
| the rains came down and we had another great flood | | | | take to protect your home from damage by flooding, |
| that wiped the earth clean you can almost guarantee it | | | | the more money you'll be able to save on your flood |
| wouldn't be covered! Winter flooding, and whether or | | | | insurance premiums! Minimizing the damages your |
| not that flooding falls under the heading of water | | | | house and your property suffer when it floods will go a |
| damage, is a grey area with most insurers and is one | | | | long way toward minimizing the amount of money |
| that you are going to need to discuss in depth with | | | | your insurance provider has to pay out if the worst |
| your own insurance agent. | | | | should happen, and they're likely to reward that |
| If your insurance company won't issue you flood | | | | prudence with noticeable savings on your insurance |
| insurance, and you're having trouble finding someone in | | | | premiums. |