There are three types of flood insurance that everyone needs to be aware of. While it is not limited to these definitions, these are what you find in most policies. There is the exception of some insurance companies not including any kind of flood insurance, so read carefully. Better yet, if you want to educate yourself about flood insurance, read on!
There are three types of flooding, namely flash flooding, river flooding and coastal flooding.
The most common type of flooding is flash flooding. This type of flooding occurs due to heavy rain fall in the situated area and swells up very quickly. However, it is also quick to disperse which is a good thing. The only problem is because the water comes up so quickly, it may not be possible for individuals to be evacuated from the prone area. Being the most common because flash flooding can occur anywhere, insurance for this kind of flooding should be found in your insurance policy and if not, consider taking it on.
The next type of flooding definition is river flooding. While this may seem self-explanatory, river flooding is cause by the overflowing of rivers. Unlike flash flooding which disappears quickly, river flooding can take days, even weeks to return to normal levels. A lot of insurance policies do not include this type of cover and it is up to you to find out if you are covered because this kind of flooding is likely to do the most damage. This issue should be pressed even further if you live near running water.
The final type of flooding is coastal flooding. This sort of flooding occurs around the coast line where cyclones are present and strong wind and storm activity. This is defiantly something to consider if you live along the beach or near sea water as the damage can be tremendous, and be caused in a very short period of time. It is almost guaranteed your insurance policy will not cover this unless taken out as an extra premium so please read up on your insurance company’s policy and make sure you are covered.
So, when you read your insurance policy and find out that you are covered for flooding, it is worth doing due diligence and finding out what kind of flooding you are covered for. Ring up your insurance company and find out. If they don’t offer the cover you are after, keep looking because when the crunch time comes, you can bet these companies will do everything they can to avoid paying out, thus rendering your insurance useless. Remember, read actively and use common sense!