Many homeowners are unprepared for flooding. They reason that because they do not live on a coastline, or have waterfront property, that flood damage cannot happen to them. They’d be wrong. Floods can occur when excessive amounts of melted snow on a hillside enter the nearby homes at a lower elevation. Sudden rains can cause lazy rivers to overflow their banks, inundating properties as far as a mile away! Also across the country, aging infrastructures such as dams have been known to give way without warning, again, causing widespread damage to residences and downtowns alike. If you live along the East Coast, surely you have not forgotten hurricane Katrina in 2012 and the pounding the South Shore of Long Island and elsewhere sustained. It is always better to be safe than sorry. That is why you should speak to Grillo & Associates about what obtaining flood insurance on Long Island and flood insurance in New York might entail.

The first fact you’ll need to know is that most Homeowners policies do not cover flood damage. You will need a separate policy for the proper coverage. However, most flood insurance is written through the National Flood Insurance Program. Know also that it normally takes 30 days from the date of purchase for flood insurance to go into effect, so consider the hurricane season and the spring thaw as well as the possibility for a rainy summer season in your area. Therefore, you should not delay in purchasing this coverage.

Here are some more facts: Consumer Reports, states that only an inch of flood water in your home causes an average of $25,000 of damage. Also, according to FEMA, a flood insurance policy averages about $525 per year. What do you get for that? When you are considering purchasing flood insurance in New York, here’s an overview of coverages:

INSIDE:
Utilities/Systems: Included are electrical and plumbing systems, furnaces/heat pumps/sump pumps, water heaters, and HVAC. Additionally, it covers fuel tanks and stored fuel, solar energy equipment, water tanks, and pumps.

Home Appliances: Coverage includes refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers, washing machines, and dryers, portable window air conditioners, and freezers and their perishable contents.

Home Furnishings: Includes carpeting, window blinds and curtains.
Permanently Installed Features: Covers damaged kitchen cabinets and built-ins such as bookcases and wall units.|

Personal property: This includes clothing, furniture, and electronic equipment—though only if they’re not stored in the basement. Also, your policy will likely also cover items such as original artwork and furs, up to $2,500 in value. That’s right, flood insurance in New York will cover some, if not all your family heirlooms, of priceless value to you!

OUTSIDE:
Foundation Walls, and Attached Staircases: There is an exclusion for “loss caused directly by earth movement, even if the earth movement is caused by flood.”

Detached Garages: Up to 10 percent of your total building coverage may be used to repair/replace your garage, but that amount will be subtracted from the total amount of available building coverage.

Other Coverage: Some events are covered even if they’re not strictly floods, such as groundwater seepage and mudflow. For example, if a neighbor’s above-ground swimming pool collapses, causing the water to flow into your home, or a water main break that damages your home and at least one other in your neighborhood. However, damage caused by a sewer backup is covered only if it’s a direct result of flooding. This is another sound argument why suburbanites, especially those living in tract communities, should consider flood insurance on Long Island.