If you’re a long-time Texas home or business owner, chances are you’ve dealt with the effects of a hurricane. Whether it be a friend’s home damaged by the high winds, or your business falling prey to heavy rainfall, hurricanes are an inevitable reality of being a Texas resident. Accepting this truth demands a very real look at the preventative measures you’re putting in place to stay grounded.
When your home or business is exposed to fast, erosion-carrying winds, having the right insurance coverage is essential for recovery. Recovery in this way includes being fully backed by your insurance provider, as well as your water damage restoration service provider, like us at Dry Force. We partner with your insurance provider to pinpoint where you may need the most coverage, handling the logistics so you can recuperate in peace.
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What Is Covered Under Flood Insurance?
When looking at the average coverage provided by Texas’ NFIP or National Flood Insurance Program, the numbers seem to be all-inclusive. Although the NFIP does cover up to $250,000 in damages and $100,000 in contents, you must partner with your water damage restoration provider to ensure that no corners are being cut, and you leave with the comprehensive coverage you need.
Storm coverage in Texas is typically umbrella-like, covering structural damage, systems, appliances, and virtually any other working system impacted on your property. Lock in these coverage opportunities by speaking with Dry Force about the specific coverage your home or business needs so we can effectively communicate your needs to your insurance provider. Trust that we will eloquently express your needs in full, leaving nothing to the imagination.
The Role of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
As briefly touched on, the National Flood Insurance Program or NFIP’s mission is to guarantee that your community offers necessary flood damage assistance by working at the federal level. Local governments must offer relief to impacted communities due to the tireless efforts the NFIP has put in to shield flood-prone regions of the United States since 1968. The NFIP specializes in covering hurricane-torn households at the time of or directly following a hurricane.
The NFIP’s impact on hurricane-prone regions cannot be overstated, as they essentially protect the right for Americans to receive Federal assistance post-flood, something that can make or break a community in turmoil. Coverage with NFIP covers structural, internal, and personal damage. Clothes, furniture, and electronics are not uncommon items covered by the NFIP, as they are essential contents. You can receive up to $250,000 in building damage and $100,000 in contents per family.
What Isn’t Covered by Flood Insurance?
In addition to the imperative nature of purchasing a flood insurance policy as a home insurance add-on, knowing what isn’t covered by flood insurance is equally as important for people living in hurricane-prone areas. Flood insurance typically covers classic signs of torrent water damage, such as buildup of surface water, mudflow, and runoff water on a property.
Because these are irrefutable instances of floodwater exposure, they can’t be dismissed. Flood insurance will not cover damages like broken pipes, plumbing overflows, and water subliminally flowing in from your roof or windows. These are considered internal damages and do not qualify as flood damage. There are instances where flood damage can yield internal damages, and this is something that can be assessed by Dry Force if you are seeking further coverage.
Read More: What Types of Water Damage are Covered by Homeowners Insurance?
Distinguishing Between Flood and Wind Damage
Flood and Wind Damage are two separate home insurance add-ons that have specific requirements for receiving their coverage. Flood insurance covers damages created by strong water currents on, in, or around a property. Windstorm insurance is a service you can request to receive if powerful winds strip your property of functionality, contents, or structure. Although hurricanes are made up of both torrent water and potentially lethal winds, coverage is still split into two different insurance sectors.
If you are struggling to differentiate between flood and wind damages post-hurricane, enlist us at Dry Force to come on-site and create clarity through the fallout. Our technicians have the expertise necessary to immediately provide you with what coverage is needed and where. The quickest way to differentiate between flood and wind damage is by assessing and matching the severity of the damage with either cause.
How to Supplement Flood Insurance for Comprehensive Coverage
Most of the cause-specific coverage options are available add-ons to your home insurance policy. Windstorm insurance is a great example of a necessary add-on for those who experience chronic hurricane exposure. These specified plans are offered by most home insurance providers, but that doesn’t necessarily guarantee that yours will. Your property can show signs of specified damage in your eyes and still be denied by your insurance provider.
Team up with Dry Force to determine if you qualify for specified insurance coverage based on the level of damage your property has taken on. If we decide that you need windstorm insurance or another specified policy, we will reach out to your insurance provider for the qualification status. If your provider does not offer that policy or you are denied coverage, you can funnel access through a state insurance program such as the FAIR plan. Discover your options by speaking to your insurance provider today and act ahead.
The Importance of Timely Insurance Claims After a Hurricane
Insurance claims need to be handled efficiently to secure the best, most comprehensive coverage. If you wait too long to reach out to your insurance provider for coverage options, your damage may outgrow the level of coverage offered. In the same way letting signs of water damage sit untouched breeds further, more costly damages, waiting to contact your insurance provider allows for damages to grow uncoverable.
Water recedes fast, spreading further into the already damaged areas of your property. Expedite the recovery process of your home, business, and most importantly safety, by speaking with Dry Force about your flood damage insurance options. We offer the friendly, customer-focused approach to insurance you need to feel comfortable in your decisions post-hurricane.
Steps to File a Flood Insurance Claim
Filing a claim may be daunting, but it isn’t complicated. We simplify the process at Dry Force by doing the talking for you, and that includes securing a formal claim in your name. The process begins when we file a claim with your insurance provider, detailing all of the damage your property has taken on.
We want to make sure to document the damage via video or photo so your insurance provider can visually see the strain on your home. After we file your claim, your insurance provider with send an adjuster to your home to assess if the coverage you requested matches the evidence. After confirmation, you should receive compensation. We lead the filing process so you can readjust at your own pace.
Read More: How to Handle Water Damage Insurance Claims: 6 Steps & Tips
Costs and Deductibles: What to Expect
The cost of flood insurance reported by the NFIP is approximately 700 dollars per year, though this varies by location. The frequency at which your local community experiences hurricanes impacts the cost of flood insurance. In Texas, the average cost of flood insurance is $784 per year or $65 a month.
Most people purchase their flood insurance from the federal government, but private policies can be obtained. Deductibles usually land in whole dollar amounts, ranging from $1,000 to $50,000. As previously mentioned, if you obtain your flood insurance through NFIP, you can obtain coverage anywhere from 250,000 dollars to 100,000. Do your research and decide what policy works best for your budget and location.
Preparing Your Home for Hurricane Season
Before you call us at Dry Force for professional preventative measures, think about what you can do as a home or business owner to protect your property from water damage. For long-term Texas residents, these measures may save the exterior of your home from imploding.
Firstly, make sure to seal all open areas vents, outlets, or windows. It is helpful to reduce the potential for glass to break and spread itself over your floors by verifying that your windows or shutters are covered by some variation of wood. Glass-related damage is not necessarily covered by flood insurance innately, as it is a preventable aspect of hurricane exposure.
Another option for prevention is removing any dead or decaying trees from the perimeter of your home or business. When winds threaten to claim your home, they will not spare any branch or bent tree in their path. These fallen branches can forcefully enter your home, creating a chain of lethal consequences.
Consider taking preventative measures to properly protect your home from wind, water, or head-on impact during hurricane season. If you would like to implement professional-grade protection, call us at Dry Force to secure your home or business.
The Bottom Line: Does Flood Insurance Fully Cover Hurricanes?
In short, it depends. Flood insurance does cover the obvious, intrusive signs of flood damage. Some of the remnants of hurricane damage require further investigation to claim. You can count on flood insurance to fully cover storm surges and exterior damage. Coverage gets tricky when the remnants of hurricane-forced water damage are hidden, micro, or just plain rare.
You can still claim coverage by asking about your coverage options with Dry Force’s lead. We will answer all of your coverage-related questions while simultaneously reaching out to your flood insurance provider for confirmation. If you require us to speak to a private provider and not your primary home insurance provider, we can accommodate that as well.
FAQs About Flood Insurance and Hurricanes
Because flood insurance is a complex, intricate type of insurance coverage, we aim to give you all of the information necessary to protect yourself both financially and structurally. We care about your well-being just as much as the structural integrity of your home, and that starts with providing essential information.
Here is a list of the most common flood insurance-related questions we receive as your premium water damage removal service:
How do I obtain coverage?
By partnering with us at Dry Force to inspect, assess, and obtain the right coverage, we can complete all filing procedures for you.
How do I know what’s covered?
Both ourselves at Dry Force and your insurance provider’s adjuster will assess what can and will be included in your flood insurance coverage.
How much is flood insurance coverage in Texas?
Flood insurance policies are typically $784 a year or $65 a month.
What can Dry Force do to minimize flood damage before a hurricane hits?
When you choose Dry Force to act as your home’s main protective service, we will implement a series of preventative measures like sealing open areas shut and checking the functionality of your storm guards.