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Officials urge homeowners in flood-prone areas to consider adding flood insurance

Policies usually have a 30-day waiting period
Posted at 3:14 PM, Mar 12, 2019
and last updated 2019-03-12 17:14:49-04

BOISE, Idaho — As we enter spring flooding season, the Idaho Department of Insurance is urging homeowners to consider adding flood insurance if they live in a flood zone or high risk area.

Most standard homeowner's policies do not cover flooding.

Officials say it does not take a catastrophe to cause serious damage to your home; even a few inches of water can necessitate expensive repairs.

If you do decide you want flood insurance, don't wait until the last minute. Most flood policies require a 30-day waiting period before they take effect.

The D.O.I. encourages homeowners to meet with a licensed agent to discuss coverage.

Some quick facts:

What to know about floods and flood insurance coverage:

- The time to prepare is now; where it can rain, it can flood.
- Flood insurance is affordable and anyone can purchase it.
- FEMA statistics estimate more than 20 percent of flood claims result from properties considered outside high-risk areas.
- Only about 12 percent of U.S. homeowners have flood insurance.
- Flood damage costs exceed $8 billion annually nationwide.

For information on flood insurance policies, you can visit the federal National Flood Insurance Program or call (800) 427-4661.

You can also learn more about the Idaho Department of Insurance here.