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If you’ve moved into a new Arlington, TX home or have been a long-term area homeowner, you may not have experienced the catastrophic devastation that followed in the wake of Katrina or other devastating hurricanes. But just because you’ve never personally faced that type of calamity doesn’t mean flooding events can’t happen to your home even if you don’t face hurricanes! Flooding can occur for a variety of reasons. Strack Insurance Services recommends that all homeowners consider the losses they could incur in the event of flooding that’s not covered in their homeowner’s policy.
But I Don’t Live in a High-Risk Zone!
There is a common misconception that a low-risk flood zone is a "no risk" flood zone. Flood maps are constantly changing, due to factors such as local dam improvements and changing weather patterns. These factors can cause the property your home is located on to go from a low-risk flood zone to a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) high-risk flood zone at any time. If a new neighborhood is built down the street from your Arlington, TX house, there may now be nowhere for excess water to drain, elevating your previously low-risk flood zone to a high-risk flood zone.
How Do I Know My Neighborhood’s Risk Level?
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides flood map updates every year based on in-house studies and community-initiated revisions. These Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) designate every community according to their risk category. This helps lending companies determine whether to require a flood insurance policy on your mortgage and informs your insurance company what the flood insurance cost should be.
Because FIRMs often change over time due to community development, weather patterns, changes in land use, wildfires, and other factors, it is often difficult to gauge your personal flood risk without guidance. To find out your community’s risk category, and receive information about whether you need flood insurance coverage, give your local Strack Insurance Services agent a call today.