Should you get flood insurance even if you don’t live in a flood zone? Experts weigh in

CAROLINA BEACH, N.C. (WECT) – Insurance agent Jessica Guinn says as long as you live in Southeastern North Carolina, you’re at risk of flooding.

“Everybody has the ability to be flooded,” Guinn said.

She says it’s been a busy week at her company, Fair Winds Insurance, in Carolina Beach. Carolina Beach was one of the worst affected areas after storms from Potential Tropical Cyclone 8 on Monday.

“We’ve had many clients lose all of their vehicles, their golf carts, the bottom levels of their home and really just kind of flip their life upside down,” Guinn said.

She has empathy for those in other areas who were affected as well. In particular, many in Brunswick County say they felt caught off guard by how badly some of their neighborhoods flooded.

“I think people started using that [Hurricane Florence] as the benchmark of ‘well, I didn’t flood during Florence, so I should be okay now,’’ Guinn said. “After this storm being such an unprecedented event, people are seeing they do have the risk, that they can flood.”

She said she believes the development of wetlands in more inland counties could be contributing to the flooding issue.

“You have to take into consideration development,” Guinn said. “Development is going to make water run differently than it ran 10 years ago or 20 years ago. The storms are also becoming stronger and more frequent.”

Some people told WECT that they didn’t get flood insurance because they were told they weren’t living in a flood zone. Now, they’re worried they’ll have to pay out of pocket.

Guinn said in her opinion, that clients in Southeastern North Carolina should go ahead and purchase flood insurance if it works in their budget.

“Assess your budget and you deem it affordable and you see the cost outweighing the risk of not having it, it’s always recommended,” Guinn said.

She also said it’s less expensive than many people believe. She says if you don’t live in a flood zone or live in an area that’s considered low-risk, or if you’re not already required to have it, you could probably pay less than $1,000 per year to get insured.

She said she would never tell anyone they absolutely have to get it, but a lot of times it could protect you from having to pay a lot more.

“If you have flood damage, if there’s water four feet high in your home, are you gonna have the funds and be okay with an insurance company not covering the damages that you incurred?” Guinn said. “You’re self-insuring at that point. You’re the one responsible for replacing your items. Replacing your flooring, your drywall, and all that. Those expenses can add up.”

FEMA also recommends getting flood insurance. On its website, it says:

“Every property is vulnerable to flooding. Even if you’re not required to have it, it’s still a good idea to consider purchasing flood insurance protection. Here are some important facts to keep in mind:

• FACT: Homeowners and renters insurance does not typically cover flood damage.
• FACT: Flood insurance will pay claims regardless of whether or not there is a Presidential Disaster Declaration.
• FACT: Federal disaster assistance comes in two forms: a loan, which must be paid back with interest, or a FEMA disaster grant, which is about $5,000 on average per household. By comparison, the average flood insurance claim in 2018 was more than $40,000.”

The North Carolina Department of Insurance also says on its website that just because you don’t think you’re in a flood zone, flooding could still impact you:

“Homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage. If you live in a flood plain, near a river, or if you live near the coast, you should consider purchasing flood insurance for your home. Your lender may require flood insurance if your home is located in a flood plain. Just because your home is not in a designated flood plain, do not assume you will never incur flood damage.”

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