Living in the Miami, FL area, you may not be sure if you need flood insurance for your home. Those living in elevated areas in the United States often miss the potential for a flood in their home, which can be disastrous. More than 20% of claims for flood damage happens in a low-risk area. The best plan to assess your need for flood insurance is by learning about the characteristics of your home and property.

• Look through your property papers and find the “Natural Hazards Disclosures” from the inspection. Look for a classification of “Zone A” or “Zone B” – meaning the property is in an area prone to flooding by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. You can also locate this information through the county assessor’s office. If your property has either zoning, then you need to add flood insurance.
• Inspect your property and identify any areas where water run-off could flow onto the property in a heavy storm. If there are storm drains, check to see if they are blocked. Even if your property is not zoned as a high risk for flooding, it could still be flooded.
• A home built downstream from any flowing water has the potential to be flooded in unusually heavy rains and will need flood insurance.
• Talk to neighbors to find out the area’s flooding history or if there have been any recent wildfires nearby because this can indicate a need for flood insurance.

Hamilton Fox & Company Inc.

Hamilton Fox & Company Inc. provide flood insurance in the Miami, FL area. After you look at your risk factors for possible flooding to your property, contact a Hamilton Fox agent. The agent will help you to decide if you need to add flood insurance to your homeowner’s policy. Our agents are here to answer your questions and make you feel confident about your coverage.