Flood Insurance: What You Need to Know

Smart Insurance Tips

With the 2025 hurricane season well under way, now is a good time to review your flood insurance. Even if your home is not in a hazardous flood zone, you may still be at risk for substantial flooding. Flood damage can be financially and emotionally devastating, but the right coverage and preventative maintenance can make a big difference. 

Here are a few important tips to protect your property:

---

1. Know your Flood Zone. Even homes that aren’t near tidal water can suffer damage from surface runoff or heavy rain. Basements are particularly vulnerable. To find out what flood zone you’re in, visit amadengay.com for a complimentary Flood Zone Analysis. If your home is in one of the higher-risk flood zones, AE or VE, an Elevation Certificate from a surveyor may improve your Homeowner insurance options and/or Flood insurance rating.
2. Understand your coverage. Standard Homeowners insurance typically excludes flood damage, i.e., water damage from heavy rain or tidal surge. Flood insurance covers damage from water that enters your home at the ground level from the outside—not from inside plumbing, which is covered by your Homeowner policy. 
3. Plan ahead. Don’t wait until a storm is forecast. FEMA imposes a 30-day waiting period before new flood policies go into effect.
4. Explore your options. In addition to FEMA-backed policies, private insurance carriers offer flood protection with higher limits and broader coverage. Your insurance advisor can help you choose what’s best for your property.
5. Practice prevention. Regularly clean your gutters and drains, and make sure downspouts direct water away from your home’s foundation. The grading of your property should cause water to flow away from your home, not towards it. 

For more information: