water in or on a property can cause damage that costs upwards of $10,000 to repair. Flood insurance is easily affordable, while the damage caused by a flood often is not. Because most windstorm policies exclude flood, it is essential that you purchase a separate policy to cover flooding associated with a hurricane. Flood insurance is available to anyone who owns a home or business. It is an important piece of any insurance policy because floods can happen anywhere – even in areas where floods are not common. Flood insurance is a vital part of any insurance program because floods (even small ones) can cause tremendous damage and harm to your property. Flood insurance is especially important in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). In many cases, people who own property in these areas are required by law to have a flood insurance policy. SFHAs are generally coastal or low-lying regions, but they are not the only places floods occur. Floods are likely to happen in any area when there is enough rain or water to cause damage to homes and property. More than 25 percent of floods occur in areas outside of identified SFHA. Floods are one of the few examples of extreme weather that can affect everyone in all regions, making it that much more important to have proper coverage. If you don’t have flood insurance, you will likely have to pay all the damage caused by a flood on your own. There are ways to get reimbursed for damage from a flood, but will still cost more than a flood insurance deductible. In addition, when people do not pay for flood insurance, it costs more for state and federal disaster relief. Flood insurance keeps these costs down for all taxpayers and makes recovery after a disaster that much easier – and cheaper. Flood insurance is vital for all property owners, both commercial and personal, because floods are not restricted to certain areas. Flood insurance makes it easier and less expensive to get your home or property repaired after a flood. Adding flood insurance to your policy, in addition to windstorm insurance, can help protect your property from all types of damage caused by hurricanes and tropical storms, and make it easier to have peace of mind in the future. Carlisle Insurance is located at 500 N. Water St., Ste. 900, in Corpus Christi, Texas. For more information, call 361884-2775 or visit www.carlisleins.com. I N S P I R E C O A S TA L B E N D M A G . C O M
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