Am I in a Flood Zone?

I get this question all the time and without evening speaking to you the answer is "YES".

Every home is located in a Flood zone it's just some zones are at a higher risk than others. Flood damage is the number 1 catastrophe in the nation yet very few homeowners purchase Flood insurance. Why?
I don't know the answer to why but I can tell you, if you think the government or Red Cross is going to come to your rescue when a Flood occurs, think again.

Flood insurance is very inexpensive especially if your home is located in a preferred Flood zone. The problem with Flood insurance is you can only purchase up to $250,000 for dwelling coverage and $100,000 for contents coverage but something is better than nothing. I would certainly like to receive a check for $350,000 verses $0 for my neighbor who doesn't have Flood insurance.

If you live in Virginia, Maryland or South Carolina and you would like to know how much Flood insurance would cost for your home, simply visit Flood Insurance Quote.

Should I file a claim on my homeowners insurance? It depends on the circumstances. Homeowners insurance is designed for a "sudden and accidential loss" but it is not a maintenance policy. Filing too many claims will cause your rate to increase or in some situations your policy will be cancelled.

Use common sense. If your $600 lawn mower is stolen and you have a $500 deductible, you should probably not file a claim. Even though you will receive a check for $100 your premium may increase by this amount or even more. Filing small claims will cost you more in the long run. Homeowners insurance is very important but it's designed for the big event.