What Does Home Insurance Cover in Atlanta Flood

State officials said on Monday that they are concerned that most of the damage caused by the rain and flooding may not be covered by insurance.Standard homeowner policies do not include flood insurance and many decide not to pay the extra thinking that a flood will never happen.

“As the weather over the past few days has shown, purchasing flood insurance is an important consideration for Georgia consumers, even if you think a flood is unlikely in your area,” Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine said in a statement released Monday afternoon. “25 percent of flood claims occur in areas considered medium or low-risk for floods.”

If flood insurance is low on a homeowner's list, the flooding in Atlanta might be incentive for people to add this on to their home insurance policy. Flood insurance is available for up to $250,000 for damage to your home.

A standard flood policy covers the structure of the home as well as the furnace, water heater, air conditioner, floor surfaces and debris clean up. Adding flood coverage costs an average of $300-$400 a year. There are specialized add-ons that can be put on the policy for an additional premium.

A flood watch is in effect for the Metro Atlanta area through Tuesday evening. Over 20 inches of rain have fallen in the Atlanta metro area, and forecasters have issued flood alerts for several states in the southeast including Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and North Carolina.

Adding on flood insurance to a home policy can't be done during a flood, but it's an important to make this a serious consideration when evaluating your homeowners insurance policy in the future. Not paying the extra $300-400 per year for the premium will likely cause financial burdens well beyond a few hundred dollars when a flood damages your home.

For more information on flood insurance for your home, check out www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-800-427-4661.

Written by Cheryl Phillips
Providence, RI
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