Flood Insurance

A flood can wash your business and home down the drain.

Whether you’re a new business, or well established, floods drive away customers and bring on unplanned expenses that add up in a hurry. It’s enough to take you under – and your property insurance may not bail you out.

Business owners and homeowners are often caught by surprise when they find out that their insurance policies may not cover the property damage caused by floods. That means your personal property, computers, your merchandise, and all of your office equipment can be destroyed or swept away with no chance of replacement.

We want to share a little secret: the best way to protect your business or home from flood damage is to purchase flood insurance. Compared to the cost of having to replace all of your equipment, buying flood insurance costs very little. And in case of a disaster, it may pay for itself.

It can happen to you. Even if your business or home isn’t near water, you may still be at risk for flooding. Flood damage isn’t just caused by water sources such as rivers and oceans – it also comes from heavy rain, hurricanes, or water run-off. And as weather patterns change, so do flooding patterns. Last year, two out of three federally declared disasters were flood related. In addition, 30% of all flood claims came from areas not considered high-risk.*

Flood insurance explained. Most property is in a designated flood zone. However, the extent of danger you may face is rated differently, depending on whether your business is in a high- or moderate-risk zone. Flood insurance provides two types of coverage:

• Building coverage, which covers structural repairs
• Contents coverage, which covers your equipment and inventory

Talk to your insurance agent now. There is generally a 30-day waiting period from the time your policy is purchased until the time it goes into effect. The sooner you get covered the better. Floods hit without warning whether you’re covered or not – so talk to the flood insurance specialists; National Insurance Company today.

*Statistics from National Flood Insurance Program

Important guidelines for after the flood

• If your business or home has suffered flood damage, call the agent who handles your flood insurance policy. Within 48 hours of the agent’s report to the insurance company, an adjuster will be assigned to inspect the property.
• Prior to entering a building, check for structural damage.
• If you smell gas, call your utility company immediately.
• Watch for downed electrical wires.
• Cover broken windows and holes to prevent further weather damage.
• Take pictures of the damage to your building and contents.
• Shovel out mud while it’s still moist.
• Clean metal at once, then wipe with a solvent-soaked cloth.

Although nobody is safe from a flood, you can protect yourself from its results.
Floods can wash away plans and dreams. Hard earned gains can be lost overnight.

Make sure your corner of the world is safe.
When it came to choosing a place to live, there is no doubt that you considered your options carefully before making a decision. Things like the neighborhood, the view, and the amenities were all important. Now that you’ve made it your home and filled it with treasures and memories, you want to protect it with insurance coverage you can count on. A plan that will not only cover your possessions, but protect you from lawsuits that could threaten your lifestyle.