If you live in an area prone to flooding, you know how important it is to have a good flood insurance policy. But with so many different options, how do you choose the right one for your needs? Keep reading to find out.

What Does Flood Insurance Cover?

The first thing you need to know is what exactly flood insurance covers. Most standard homeowners insurance policies don’t cover flooding, so if you live in an area prone to flooding, you’ll need a separate policy. A good flood insurance policy will cover the cost of repairing or rebuilding your home if it’s damaged by a flood and the cost of replacing any personal belongings that are damaged or destroyed.

What Doesn’t Flood Insurance Cover?

It’s important to know what isn’t covered by flood insurance and what is in League City, TX. For example, most policies won’t cover the cost of repairing or replacing things like septic tanks, wells, or pumps. They also won’t cover the cost of landscaping or other property damage outside your home (like fences, patios, or pools). Also, ask your ACU Insurance Services representative about any limits to personal belongings.

How Much Does Flood Insurance Cost?

The cost of flood insurance depends on a few factors, including the value of your home and its contents and the amount of coverage you need. It also depends on whether you live in a high-risk area for flooding. If you live in a high-risk area, your premiums will be higher than those in a low-risk area. However, even if you don’t live in a high-risk area, it’s still a good idea to purchase flood insurance because floods can happen anywhere at any time.

If you’re looking for flood insurance, ACU Insurance Services can help. We’ll work with you to find the right policy for your needs and budget. Contact us today for more information.

Most people think that flood insurance is designed with homeowners in mind only. However, as a renter, you can still acquire flood insurance if you feel you need it, and it’s available in your state or area. As a renter, flood insurance can provide many practical benefits to you. 

What Is Flood Insurance?
Flood insurance is insurance specifically designed to cover damage that results from water or flooding. This insurance covers property loss or damage. However, many flood insurance companies will study topographical maps to determine if a property might be prone to flooding based on their location as well as other factors. Insurers will look for areas in floodplains, lowlands, and floodways, to determine the possibility of flooding and damage in particular areas. 

How Can Renters Benefit from Flood Insurance?
First of all, for renters to obtain renters’ flood insurance, they must live in an area that participates in the national flood insurance program (NFIP).  If the community participates in the program, renters can purchase flood insurance that covers up to $100k for personal items damaged from flooding. They can receive money to replace furniture, electronics, and clothing, in addition to other things.
 
Is Flood Insurance a Practical Investment for Renters?
Flood insurance can be a practical investment for renters because most renter’s insurance policies don’t cover flood damage. If you live in an area prone to flooding, it’s a good idea to invest in a flood insurance policy. However, it should be noted that most property owners located in high-risk flood areas must carry flood insurance. For renters, it’s just an option, not a requirement. ACU Insurance Services takes pride in educating League City, TX renters on the benefits of flood insurance. Our team of experienced agents is standing by to answer your questions. 

Windstorm insurance can be very beneficial for people who own a home in areas where there is a risk for wind damage from storms generating winds over 35 mph. This type of damage can occur near a coastline, but can also happen in areas where there are frequent seasonal high winds or heavy tornado activity.

Who Need Windstorm Insurance?

Anyone who is at risk of damages to their home resulting from excessive winds would greatly benefit from windstorm insurance. The best way to assess the risk and decide if this type of insurance is right for your situation is to work with an insurance agent who is familiar with this type of coverage. Someone who can sit down with the client to discuss potential risks and history of claims for the area they live in currently.

Finding the Right Options

Although windstorm insurance may not be necessary for every homeowner, many can benefit from this type of protection. If you are a resident of the League City, TX area, you should consult with an agent from ACU Insurance Services to find out if this coverage is right for you. In many cases, the homeowner isn’t aware that they may be in a higher risk category for this type of damage. An experienced agent can point out the potential risks and history of damages in the area to help you make the right choice. 

Protecting your investment should be a top priority for homeowners in League City, TX. Call or stop by ACU Insurance Services to find out more about available insurance products and get help learning about your current needs. 

 

There are several things to look into when buying a new home. One of the most important is finding out whether the home you like is located in or near a flood plain. Being in a flood plain dramatically increases your risk of flood damage if heavy rains hit your area. In League City, TX, the agents of ACU Insurance Services are available to help you figure out what type of flood risk you have in your current home or in one you are looking to purchase.

Is Your Home Close to Water?

The first clue to finding out if your home is in or near a flood plain is the location of the nearest body of water. Does your home sit on higher ground or slightly more elevated than nearby properties? If your home is positioned higher than the nearest water source, it’s unlikely that your home will flood. If your home sits in a flood plain, however, your chances increase dramatically.

Check the FEMA Map?

Another way to determine if your home or business sits within a flood plain is to look at a FEMA map. FEMA maps designate all of the different levels of flood plains and where their boundaries are.

At ACU Insurance Services, the agents serve residents of League City, TX and the surrounding communities. Each agent understands the importance of knowing where local flood plains are located and how heavy rains can cause costly damage to a home or business. If you have questions or concerns, call and speak to a licensed agent today. By reviewing your current policy, they can determine whether or not you have the coverage you need.

Our hearts go out to those suffering from the heavy flooding in the Midwest. All the good folks at the ACU Insurance Services serving League City, TX know about the potential of water damage from floods. League City is on the coast of Texas, just to the west of Trinity Bay and north of Galveston Bay, so we know quite a bit about flooding caused by storm surge. It only takes a few inches of water coming into a house to do major damage.

Flood Zones

Many mortgage lenders and government-backed mortgages require flood insurance before they will make a loan on a home that is located in a designated flood zone area. For those who have a loan from a lender that does not require flood insurance, and they do not get the insurance, they are risking losing everything if a serious flood happens. The chances of a serious flood happening in the next years are now higher for many areas. A flood can occur even in areas that have not seen one for over 100 years.

Outdated Flood Maps

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is responsible for the publication of the flood maps in America. They identify high-risk areas for floods based on historical data. However, so many of these maps are out-of-date. FEMA has not updated them for decades.

Lessons Learned

The flooding in the Midwest taught us quite a bit about how outdated the flood maps are and how many more homes are at risk of damage by flooding. So many homes that were outside of the traditional flood zones were damaged by these recent floods. Some towns flooded that were many miles from the nearest river. In some places, the water even breached new levees that were built to the federal standards of five feet high, when the water level rose higher than that.

Summary

FEMA recommends that even if your home is not in a designated high-risk area for flooding, homeowners should now all consider getting flood insurance. Call 800-581-2428 to talk with your agent at ACU Insurance Services in League City, TX or use our online form to get a quote for flood insurance.

A flood zone is an area of land identified and described by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regarding its risk of flooding for insurance purposes and floodplain management. League City, TX residents all live in an area with some risk of flooding—it’s just a matter of whether you are living in a low, moderate, or high-risk area.    

I Reside In A Low-Risk Flood Zone. Why Do I Still Need Flood Insurance?

While flood insurance coverage isn’t federally mandated for everyone, anyone can be at financial risk for flooding. In fact, over one-fifth of all the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) flood insurance claims originate from policyholders living outside of mapped high-risk flood zones, and have received 33 percent of federal disaster assistance for flooding. A Preferred Risk Policy from ACU Insurance Services will provide insurance coverage for your building and contents if you are located in a moderate- to a low-risk area.

My Community Has Never Flooded, So Why Do I Need Flood Insurance?   

Flooding doesn’t just occur in high-risk areas. It also can occur in moderate- to low-risk areas as well. Buildings on a hill can be damaged by mudslides, and properties with poor drainage systems, broken mains, and a rapid accumulation of rain or snowmelt can all experience flooding. If you live in a high-risk zone, there is a one-in-four chance you’ll experience flooding during a 30-year mortgage, so a flood insurance policy is required by law for any building located in a high-risk flood area before securing a mortgage loan from a federally insured or regulated lender.

My Lender Is Demanding Flood Insurance, But I Don’t Live In A High-Risk Area  

If your League City, TX property is located in a moderate- to a low-risk area rather than a high-risk area, federal law doesn’t require you to carry flood insurance, but your lender may still require it. If the flood maps are revised and you now are located in a high-risk zone during the life of your loan, your lender will notify you that you must purchase a flood insurance policy. Talk to your ACU Insurance Services agent today for information about how flood insurance can protect your home and property.