Flood Insurance in Texas

The Risk without Personal Flood Insurance in Texas

If your home is designated in a flood zone in Houston, TX, then your lender will likely require you to have flood insurance. However, floods can happen anywhere and just because the property is not in a flood zone doesn’t mean you are safe. The state is prone to floods and every major city, including Houston, TX, can be at high risk for flooding. Flood maps can be hard to update because growth adds to the flood risk. Pastures and prairies absorb rainfall from storms and when that land is replaced by asphalt and concrete, areas that have never flooded before are now at risk.

Your home insurance won’t cover flood damage, so just because you have a good home insurance policy does not mean you shouldn’t be shopping for flood insurance.

What Does Flood Insurance Cover?

A flood insurance policy will include some standard coverages in Texas. There are two separate policies: one for building coverage and one for belongings. If you bundle and get both then you will have these items covered:

• Standard Home Systems: This includes the plumbing system, water heater, furnace, air conditioner, and electrical system.
• Installed Features and Carpeting: This includes built-in bookcases, paneling, and cabinets.
• Foundations: Staircases will be covered if they are built into the house.
• Detached Garage: There will be a maximum of 1% of the building coverage that can be applied to your detached garage.
• Personal Property and Appliances: Appliances such as your washing machine and refrigerator are covered unless you keep them in your basement. This also applies to your belongings, including furniture, electronics, and clothing.

Keep in mind that policies do have some limitations. An agent at Heydari Financial Group can go over your coverage. Damage to the basement and the items within it are not covered. In certain cases, flooding from a sewer backup is not covered. Flood policies don’t cover damage to vehicles, and you need to cover these with an auto policy.

Contact Heydari Financial Group to get a quote on flood insurance.