You may have heard about hurricanes in the news recently and wondered whether you need to get flood insurance for hurricane season. Hurricanes are natural phenomena that happen almost every year, but they are not common everywhere. However, if you live in an area prone to hurricanes, such as New Jersey, investing in flood insurance for hurricane season is wise.
These natural disasters can wreak havoc on your home and your belongings, including your car, which could keep you from working. Fortunately, you can protect yourself against such financial risks by investing in flood insurance for hurricane season.
Keep reading to find out why it’s so important to have flood insurance if you live in an area prone to hurricanes.
Why Purchase Flood Insurance Before Hurricane Season Peaks?
Hurricane season is an annual phenomenon, but peak hurricane season only lasts around three months. If you wait until hurricane season is upon you to get flood insurance, you could miss the boat. Hurricane season peaks in August through October in NJ, so if you want to get flood insurance before hurricane season peaks, start communicating with our team about personal flooding insurance now.
When looking for insurance closer to peak hurricane season or after it’s already begun, people often face delays or denial of coverage. There’s typically a waiting period of up to 30 days before your coverage takes effect, so don’t wait until after hurricane season peaks to start the process of getting coverage.
Natural Disasters are Very Common
Natural disasters are widespread in some parts of the country, particularly in coastal areas such as New Jersey, in which as much as 80% of its population lives in flood-prone coastal zones. Indeed, even inland areas prone to flash floods can be high-risk areas for natural disasters.
Most hurricanes and tropical storms develop in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico. Other areas, such as the Pacific Northwest, are also at risk for flooding. Inland flooding is much less frequent than coastal flooding, but can be just as devastating. You can protect yourself and your home by obtaining flood insurance for hurricane season.
Hurricanes Cause Serious Damage
Hurricanes are the most destructive storms on the planet. In addition to heavy rainfall causing flooding, they can cause powerful winds that rip trees out of the ground and topple power lines.
Most hurricanes travel in a counter-clockwise direction and do not cause damage in the same areas every year. Some US states are at risk of hurricane damage every year, while others are less frequently affected, but have the potential to be hit much harder in the future.
If you live in an area regularly affected by hurricanes, invest in flood insurance for hurricane season.
Standard Homeowners Insurance Doesn’t Always Cover Floods
Standard homeowners insurance will cover damage caused by hurricanes and other natural disasters, but it probably won’t cover flood damage. Even if flooding occurs on your property and is not the result of a hurricane, typical homeowner’s insurance may not cover it. Therefore, it’s best to take out flood insurance for hurricane season to ensure that you have the protection you need. Preferably, you’d have it year round to ensure you’re protected from flooding.
You Will Be Covered for Structural Damage
Hurricanes and flooding can cause severe damage to your home and its structure, including the foundation and the walls. Flood insurance for hurricane season covers losses not covered by standard homeowners insurance, such as damage caused by a collapsed roof.
For example, if a hurricane packs strong winds that cause your roof to collapse, your standard homeowners insurance policy will not provide coverage. However, if you have flood insurance for hurricane season, you will be covered for structural damage to your home caused by flooding.
You Will Be Covered for Loss of Property
If you have flood insurance for hurricane season, it will cover you for any property loss caused by flooding, regardless of how it occurred. For example, if a hurricane causes flooding leading to a waterlogged basement, you will be covered for any property loss from flood damage. Or if you have flood insurance for hurricane season, you will even be covered if your home is damaged by flooding caused by an overflowing creek or river.
If your standard homeowners insurance policy does not cover the damage caused by flooding, flood insurance for hurricane season will provide you with the protection you need.
You Will Be Covered for Loss of Income
If your home gets damaged during a hurricane and you can’t work because you have to deal with the repairs, you can be covered for loss of income. This type of coverage is available with most insurance providers.
If you don’t have flood insurance, on top of not being able to work and receive any income, you’ll also have to pay for the repairs out of your own pocket. This could cause serious financial problems.
Purchase Flood Insurance Before It’s Too Late
When you invest in flood insurance for hurricane season, either for your home or commercial property, you ensure that you’ll have financial coverage if these properties suffer flood damage. Whether it’s during a hurricane, tropical storm, or any other flood-causing weather event, your flood insurance will cover you.
Just make sure to get flood insurance before hurricane season peaks. Get a quote from our insurance providers online, by phone, or in person now!