Flood Insurance in California! Is it Worth it?

10/3/2022 (Permalink)

Out of 365 days of the year, California experiences sunny weather for 284 days. So what is the point of getting flood insurance when there is so little rain? 

To start, mortgage companies may require you to purchase flood insurance as part of the loan agreement, especially if your house is in a flood zone. A common mistake that some homeowners make is thinking that their home insurance covers flood, but that’s not always the case - and sometimes you don’t find that out until it’s too late. 

If you run into a flood scenario without insurance, you may have to pay an upfront payment for this kind of water damage, which could cost you up to $10,000. 

To most people’s surprise, flood insurance is affordable and usually purchasable through the National Flood Insurance Program. The average cost for an insurer is $793 per year and the options can be tailored to your home and flood zone. 

A flood insurance policy covers several risks faced by California homeowners:

1) Overflow of inland and tidal waters, such as rivers that can flood during heavy rain.

2) Mudflow over areas that are normally dry

3) Levee breaks

Something to keep in mind is that events such as a sinkhole or landslide will not be covered by the NFIP flood insurance policy. This will require additional coverage, for example, earthquake insurance.

So the big question, is it worth it? 

According to the California Department of Water Resources, every county in California has experienced a federally declared flood disaster within the past 20 years. 

These floods have caused rivers to overflow and damage thousands of homes at a time. These damages can easily cost thousands of dollars that you would have to pay out of pocket instead of having a portion of it covered by insurance. So unless you have a significant rainy day fund, it would be worth it to buy flood insurance to avoid unnecessary fiscal stress.

For more information or help navigating a flood situation, reach out now and we would love to help you!