Discovering that your home has flooded from a burst pipe, intense storm or flash flooding can be devastating and overwhelming. “It’s an emotional experience seeing your home and most of your belongings completely destroyed,” says Ashleigh C. Trent, co-founder of Tower Street Insurance in Dallas.
The grief and shock can be paralyzing, but you must take proper action to protect your property from further damage. Be prepared to navigate the muddy waters of a flooding event. Here’s what to do if your property floods and how to protect and insure your home for maximum recovery.
[READ: 5 Things to Know About Buying a Home in a Flood Zone]
The Damage of Flooding
Flooding risk is at the top of everyone’s mind this season after Hurricane Helene delivered a path of destruction from Florida to the southern Appalachians, and now, as Hurricane Milton barrels toward Florida.
Hurricane Helene was a Category 4 when it hit Florida’s Gulf Coast in late September, bringing record flooding in Florida and parts of North Carolina and Tennessee. The storm killed more than 200 people, washed away entire communities, caused billions in damages and left millions without homes, power or water.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Environmental Information, floods cause more financial damage and deaths annually than any other natural disaster.
Storm surge and flash flooding from tropical cyclone events are the biggest causes of property flooding. However, coastal areas and hurricane-prone states like Texas, Florida and Louisiana aren’t the only ones at risk. According to the U.S. Department of Urban Housing and Development (HUD), between 1996 and 2019, 99% of U.S. counties had a flood event.
Who Is at Risk of Flood Events?
Coastal areas, riverfront and other waterfront properties are at the greatest risk for flooding. However, flooding resulting from weather can happen to any property in the right circumstances.
Changing weather patterns and more intense storms are increasing flood risks, particularly for properties that have never previously flooded. More and more low-lying homes and properties in non-flood zones are flooding in high rain or storm surge events.
Is Flood Insurance Necessary?
“A lot of people assume flooding is just water damage. But it’s defined as rising waters and home coming in from the exterior,” says Trent. “If your home flooded from a leaky roof or a pipe bursting, it is considered water damage, not a flood, and is covered by your traditional homeowner’s policy.”
Trent says to protect your home from a flood event, where waters come in from outside, you need a special endorsement on your homeowner’s policy or specialty flood insurance. FEMA’s flood insurance coverage is the most common protection, despite its low coverage limit of $250,000 for the dwelling and $100,000 for the contents.
If your home’s value exceeds that, you need additional insurance from a private carrier to cover 100% of your home’s value. If you have no flood insurance and experience a flood, FEMA may cover some damages through its Individuals and Households Program.
The IHP program may pay up to $41,000 to qualifying participants for certain expenses. However, the average payout is far less for most flood events and may be insufficient for the level of damage that occurs.
The key is having insurance before the event occurs, says Trent. “Typically, you won’t be able to get flood insurance if you had a prior flood loss, but if you are an existing customer, particularly with FEMA, the carrier cannot drop you after a flood claim,” she says.
Flood policies in non-flood zones are usually fairly affordable, with deductibles as low as $500. Property in high-risk flood zones on the coast or waterfront can be much more expensive, with deductibles as high as $7,000, Trent says.
Preparedness and planning are crucial. Here are the steps to take if you face flooding.
[Related:What Homebuyers Need to Know About Climate Change]
1. Take Preventative Measures
Trent says to heed the famous quote from Benjamin Franklin: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Pay attention to flood warnings and prepare accordingly. Put out sandbags if possible. Secure valuables and important documents in the highest spot in your home. Always have scanned copies of important documents in the cloud and store them in a waterproof or fireproof container. Raise expensive equipment, such as your HVAC system, when installing it.
It’s also important to document everything you own. Take clear videos and photos of everything. Open drawers as you record your general space. Capture details of your appliances’ and electronics’ make and model, along with furniture, art and jewelry. Write down VINs for expensive items or have receipts for proof of value.
2. Get Somewhere Safe
If you can evacuate, do so. If you are inside when it begins to flood, “Don’t worry about your belongings. Find high ground and take care of yourself,” says Trent.
Turn off your home’s main power if the water rises above 3 inches. Saltwater is an active electrical conductive and can start a house fire.
Try to stay out of the water. “Flooding is a bit different than a supply line bursting,” says Rinea Blanchard, owner and operator of the cleaning and mitigation company Superior Contract Cleaning in Lafayette, Louisiana. Flood water can be filled with wastewater, debris, bacteria and other dangerous chemicals from ground runoff or spills.
3. Assess Damage and Document Everything
Once the water has receded and it’s safe to return home, assess the damages. “As soon as you know there is going to be a flood claim, notify the carrier. If you haven’t purchased flood insurance, you’ll be reliant on FEMA,” says Trent. If you’re a renter, contact your landlord right away.
Take pictures and videos of everything, including all impacted content, and mark the flood water line with a measuring tape. “Photo and video documentation is extremely important to get reimbursement back from your insurance,” says Blanchard.
If there is still water in the home, you need to get the water out and begin drying the space as quickly as possible. “Timeliness can save your house from mold,” says Trent.
[READ: Is Your Home a Health Risk? Why Mold May Be Lurking in Your Home]
4. Start Mitigation Quickly
The next step is addressing the problems. “Hard surfaces, plastics, metals and some hardwoods can be cleaned and dried. Carpet and padding will always need to be replaced. Sheetrock and drywall needs to be removed,” says Blanchard.
Blanchard’s remediation company follows the guideline of removing items 2 feet above the impacted area. Water can spread quickly on porous surfaces like drywall, causing damage beyond what the eye can see.
The mitigation company should use monitoring equipment to document the drying process with a formal moisture reading. Moisture readings are communicated with the insurance adjuster along the way and are required to approve a flood claim.
“We moisture map the entire area using special instruments to measure moisture levels,” says Blanchard. The goal is to prove that removing materials from impacted areas and drying the space with “air movers” like dehumidifiers and fans improves moisture levels and reduces further damage.
Not every mitigation company follows the proper steps to removing and remediating your home properly, Blanchard warns. Make sure they do moisture readings and communicate well with you and any adjusters. Trent also advises keeping all receipts for mitigation work to give to the adjuster if the claim hasn’t been processed yet.
5. Begin Rebuilding After an Adjuster Visits the Site
Before you can begin rebuilding, you need an adjuster on site to confirm the damage before the claim can be processed. “This should happen before you restart the rebuilding process,” says Trent.
If your loss is less than $250,000 and not considered a total loss, payouts from insurance adjusters can be made within a few days up to a few weeks from the day the adjuster comes out. “FEMA typically takes a bit longer than a private company,” says Trent.
If it’s a total loss, you’ll need to work with your mortgage company and insurance provider to find out the next steps. This may be rebuilding, or selling the property after demolition to recoup what you can.
Things You Shouldn’t Do if Your Home Floods
Don’t assign your insurance rights to anyone. Some public adjusters will ask you to sign your insurance rights over to them and say they will work with the insurance company directly on your behalf. However, this leaves you at risk for fraud, which is a common issue in the insurance world after major storms.
Always work with your insurance company directly and follow the steps they outline, and the tips listed here. Improper documentation, mitigation or repairing the home before an adjuster has approved and assessed damage can result in denied insurance claims.
Blanchard says it’s also important to know what your policy covers. Many homeowners don’t have flood insurance and are left unprotected in the event of a flood.
“If a pipe bursts, for example, insurance will not pay for repairing the pipe that burst, but they will cover the remediation process,” says Blanchard. If you’re concerned with increasing flood risks, talk to your insurance provider before storm season and insure your property adequately.
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What To Do When Your Home Floods originally appeared on usnews.com
