Does the midwest flooding have you reconsidering flood insurance?

[Earth_First]

My wife and I were talking about this last night. We live on the outer fringes of a 500-year flood plain according to the USGS maps we took a look at. From what we understand, a majority of the families affected by the flooding were without flood insurance as they were not required to carry such a policy, and many had no fears that they would ever become affected.

Just curious to see if folks may be reconsidering.

The midwest is in our prayers! :grouphug:

[newfie11]

1. We live on top of a hill. If we flood there better be an Ark coming.

[lojasmo]

2. Flood insurance is a scam

Ask the folks in NOLA. People in SE MN who got flooded last year received only $26K

[HereSince1628]

3. The SO's house is on a hill, But the wet basement has us reconsidering not having a sump pump.

Also looking seriously at the landscaping around the house. The SO's house is on a hill above the 500 year floodplain. A new neighbor uphill from us apparently (based on the stuff sitting on the curb) finished the basement and lost a new recreation room and a bedroom.

Apparently, changes in the local hydrology since the house was built in the 30's--mostly a couple thousand acres of paved parking lots for malls and a lot of homes hooking sump pumps onto the storm drains--has made the city's storm water system incapable of keeping up during heavy rains. So that system now floods and backs uphill into basements well above the floodplain.

Consequently the SO's home which had a dry basement for at least the decades she's lived here now needs help to get through periods of heavy rain that occur every five-ten years.

We've had two contractors in since Wed to get estimates on installing a sump and pump with battery back-up. Money on the pump system is probably well spent.

[1monster]

4. I live in Florida, four about three to four miles from the ocean and less than two blocks

from the Matanzas River... And I'm not considered on a flood plain...

I've thought about flood insurance. Probably need flood insurance, but it is very expensive and the payouts are not in line with the expense. Especially since I'm paying three thousand a year for regular insurance.

I remember when I paid $28.00 a month and had better coverage.

Sigh.

[CODemocrat]

5. I live at 9600ft elevation

no flood will get to me before the insurance companies are broke.

I love the mountains.

[1monster]

6. What about flash floods? I remember (when I lived in the mountains) every year

when the ice and snow melted, flash flooding was a problem.

I also remember when three humongous storms came together right over where I lived. A creek which was usually about one inch deep during that part of the year rose to over twenty feet around a sharp turn in the creek right in front of my house.

We knew it was that high because it tore all the vegetation away from where it hit the cliff. Fortunately for us, our house was situated in such a way that we did not get flooded.

I did have to wade in water above my ankles in the grass field that was about two feet above the driveway from the road a quarter of a mile away (farm) after work that night.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

7. A lot of floods are caused by rain events

I don't think flood insurance is just about if you live in a flood plain or on the beach or lakefront. There is a lot of flash flooding that happens when we are having more and more of these massive rain events. I recall a couple of years ago NJ got about 12" of rain in a very short time and had floods. Rainfalls of 3" used to be consided huge, but now I hear 5 - 6" totals all the time.

Storm drains get clogged, cannot handle the flow and streets and houses flood. Maybe not up to the windows, but even 6" of water in your cellar can cause amazing damage. If you do not live in a high risk area, flood insurance is about $325 a year for 200K house and 100k contents (something like that - I'll have to go look at the policy) which is the max. It won't replace your million dollar house, but if you had an average house , it would help a lot. Especially since your regular homeowners will pay nada.

To me, if you live where it rains, then you should have flood insurance.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

8. k for relevance! nt.