Extreme weather events, such as hail, wildfires, high winds, and flooding can cause severe damage to your vehicle. Understanding whether or not car insurance will cover storm-related damage and how to file a claim can if needed can make the process a lot easier. Read on for further guidance.
flooding
Tips for Hurricane Cleanup and Recovery
Recovering a commercial business in the aftermath of a hurricane can be challenging. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), more than 40% of businesses don’t reopen after a disaster.
The following hurricane cleanup tips can help organizations increase the likelihood that the business will survive a severe storm.
Do I Need Flood Insurance in Georgia?
In the US, Georgia is among the states that experiences the most flooding. The state has frequent thunderstorms, tornadoes, and tropical storms, which results in heavy rain during the year. In some cases, these severe climate conditions turn into flash floods, causing havoc in various parts of Georgia.
If you live in the state, you must know that your typical homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flood damage. That means you’ll need to purchase flood insurance as an additional coverage.
In this article we will discuss why you need flood insurance in Georgia, how much it typically costs, and when you should purchase it.
What you need to know about commercial flood insurance
If your business is in a coastal area, you may be fully aware of the benefits of commercial flood insurance. However, even if you’re not in a flood-prone area, there are still tons of factors that could cause your business to flood. The worst part is, your standard commercial insurance policy won’t cover the damages due to this unforeseen incident. But how much of a risk does your company really have of flooding? Why aren’t you covered for flooding in a business insurance policy? And how can you protect your business and livelihood from flood damage? Here’s where we’ll give you a rundown.
What is commercial flood insurance?
Commercial flood insurance is a type of business insurance policy that can help you repair damages to your company building due to flooding and help you replace your inventory or office equipment because of flooding.
You may be thinking, “Doesn’t my regular business insurance policy cover the structure of my business location and my commercial property?” Yes, it does. The big BUT, though, is that business insurance policies specifically exclude flood damage. A regular commercial property or liability policy doesn’t include coverage for certain types of water damage, including flooding.
What does commercial flood insurance cover?
We’ve learned that a typical business insurance policy won’t cover damage due to flooding. So, when you add flood insurance to your coverage, what exactly does it cover? Well, flood insurance for a business can cover expenses like:
- Replacing inventory & merchandise
- Replacing or repairing machinery
- Debris removal
Do I need commercial flood insurance?
Again, if you’re not in a flood or storm-prone area, you may ask yourself, “Why would I even need flood insurance?” However, statistics show that all 50 states have experienced floods and flood damage. Data also shows that:
- 25 percent of businesses shut down from flood-related natural disasters and never reopen.
- The average amount of a flood claim from businesses in the past 5 years has been $89,000.
- The average amount of commercial property damage sustained due to flooding totals to more than $3.5 billion each year.
Plus, flooding isn’t only a result of hurricanes or heavy rains. Floods can happen because of:
- Overflowing bodies of water
- Mudslides
- Melting snow
- Ice jambs
- New construction & Land development
- Improper drainage
So, yeah. Flood insurance can be an extremely important addition to your business insurance.
How do I get flood insurance for my business?
Valid flood insurance can come from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). However, you can’t buy it directly from the organization. You must purchase a policy from an agent or agency that participates in the NFIP (like us! Give us a call today to start getting customized flood insurance quotes for your business.)
There are a few things to keep in mind before you buy, though. If you’re in a high-risk area for flooding, you may be required to get commercial flood insurance for your building. If you’re in a low-risk area for flooding and you still want to get flood insurance, you may qualify for a Preferred Risk flood insurance policy, which can cost and cover a bit less. Flood coverage also may have a 30-day waiting period before coverage takes effect. So, buying flood insurance at the last minute before a storm or hurricane could still mean trouble for your business.
How much does commercial flood insurance cost?
Flood insurance policies can vary. This is because the cost of flood insurance will be different from business to business, depending on certain factors. Usually, carriers determine the price of your commercial flood insurance from factors such as:
- Your building’s height and age
- Your building’s maximum occupancy
- Your company’s location within a building (if you’re renting a space in an office complex)
- The location of your lowest floor in relation to the elevation requirement on the NFIP flood map
- The deductible and amount of coverage you choose for your building and contents coverage.
The good news is that NFIP commercial flood insurance policies can cover up to $500,000 of your building’s contents and $500,000 for the structure of the building itself.
How can I prevent my business from flooding?
You can also save money on your commercial flood insurance by taking preventative measures. Some of the most effective are:
- Buying flood boards to install over your doors when a flood may be coming
- Sealing floors to prevent water from seeping in through the ground
- Installing non-return valves to drains and pipes inside and outside of your business
- Checking and raising electrical sockets to a full foot above the 100-year flood level in your area
- Keeping a water removal pump handy
- Stockpiling useful materials like plastic sheeting, plywood, sandbags, nails, hammers, and shovels.
Additionally, you’ll want to form a flood emergency plan for your business to make sure your employees are safe and that damages to your company are minimized. Some tips you may want to consider are:
- Know how to turn off your utilities
In a pinch, you’ll need to know exactly how to shut off your company’s electricity, water, and gas. This way, none of these power supplies can cause more damage to your property and the flood water damage to those utility lines.
- Have a list of important phone numbers on hand
You should already have a contact list of numbers and other ways to reach your employees in an emergency. Additionally, your flood plan should include a list of useful phone numbers for your company posted in an easily found location. Include the numbers of your local government, your insurance carrier, additional flood warning systems, services for your building, your building manager, your suppliers, and any emergency contacts for your business overall.
- Train your employees on flood safety
As a part of hiring or continuing education for the employees of your specific business, include proper flood safety measures for individuals, flood protocol for your company, and evacuation procedures. Make sure everyone knows where to find pertinent phone numbers and establish a meeting place is everyone suddenly needs to evacuate.
- Create a stockpile of important supplies
Finally, create an emergency supply for your business. It will look a little different from your personal home emergency kit, but there are still some vital pieces you’ll need to have stocked at your commercial location. Stock up on materials like first aid kits, plastic sheeting, plywood, flood boards, sandbags, nails, hammers, and shovels. That way, the materials you need are on hand, and no one is running out to get an important supply in dangerous conditions.
Keep your flood plan in an easily accessible location so everyone can refer to it at any time.
Make sure your employees are trained on proper flood safety procedures. Designate an emergency flood contact and a safe meeting place if everyone suddenly needs to evacuate. Create a flood continuity and contact plan for your suppliers and clients.
You can get started on business insurance quotes by filling out our online form, giving us a call, or messaging us on LiveChat.
7 things you need to know about Atlanta flood insurance
Water is necessary for life, of course, but when it gets into your home it’s suddenly less about giving life and more about causing destruction. Water doesn’t have much regard for property or non-waterproof things that are in its way when it decides to flood. But that’s exactly why Atlanta flood insurance exists – to help the homeowner recover from a flood-related loss. What exactly is flood insurance and what does it do? We’re going to explain 7 things you need to know about flood insurance.
7 things you need to know about flood insurance.
1. First things first – home insurance and renters’ insurance does not cover flooding.
Many homeowners only find this out too late – meaning after their home is underwater. Plenty of people assume that flooding is covered by Atlanta home insurance or renters insurance, but it’s not. Flooding is the most common – and most expensive – natural disaster in the United States, which is why it’s important to consider protecting your home with flood insurance.
(Keep in mind that the insurance definition of flooding boils down to this: there’s a lot of water on the ground where there usually isn’t water and it infiltrates homes.)
2. You can get flood insurance through the NFIP through an agent.
To get Atlanta flood insurance, you can go through an agent and purchase a policy from the National Flood Insurance Program, or NFIP. You can discuss your insurance needs with the agent to make sure that you have enough coverage to protect both your house and your belongings.
3. The price is the price.
Okay, here’s what we mean by that:
Since you’re purchasing insurance from the NFIP, the price is not going to chance from agent to agent, or from agency to agency. You may have heard that it’s important to shop around and get multiple quotes for insurance, and usually that’s great advice. But when you’re getting flood insurance, you’ll get a quote and that’s what the price tag is. (So, in a way it’s a little less work!)
4. There’s usually a 30-day waiting period with few exceptions.
This one is extremely important:
Your policy won’t go into effect until 30 days after you purchase it. So you have to be prepared for that. There are a few exceptions – and we mean a few. One possible exception is if you need flood insurance to get a mortgage loan, extend a mortgage loan, increase a mortgage loan, or renew a mortgage loan.
Bottom line is this: be sure to talk to your agent about when your policy is going to take effect.
5. You have to pay all in one go.
Unlike other lines of insurance coverage, such as auto insurance, you have to pay for a year of flood insurance upfront in one installment. That’s just the way it works.
6. You can get flood insurance even if you’re not in a “high-risk” flooding area.
Even if you’re not in an area that’s considered “high-risk” for flooding, you can still purchase flood insurance. It’s not exclusively for those folks who live in flood-prone areas.
You can get flood insurance from the NFIP as long as your community participates in the NFIP. A lot of communities nationwide participate, so chances are pretty good that you won’t have any problems finding a flood insurance policy.
7. If you’re not in a high-risk flood area, you might be able to get a preferred risk policy.
If your home isn’t in a high-risk area, you might qualify for a fancy flood insurance policy called a preferred risk policy. Basically, it acknowledges that you’re not a high risk for flooding, so the policy might be less expensive. If you’re in a low or medium-risk flood area but you want to get flood insurance for those just-in-case scenarios, ask your agent about a preferred risk policy.
So, there you have it – seven things you need to know about Atlanta flood insurance. If you’re interested in getting a flood insurance policy to protect your home, we would be happy to help. Our team of insurance agents can assist with getting quotes and helping you get the coverage that you need. To get in touch with us, you just have to fill out our online quote form or give us a call.
Source:
https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/videos/165839
FEMA
Stay safe with these summer flash flood safety tips in Atlanta
When you get a lot of rain, like we do in Atlanta during the summer, it’s not uncommon to have flash floods. Flash floods happen fast, and they can strike without a lot of warning. Summer months often come with the highest risk of flash floods because a lot of rain can fall in a short amount of time. The ground and rivers just can’t keep up. So, when it starts deluging outside and it rains so hard it’s difficult to see, it’s important to know what to do to stay safe during a flash flood.
8 tips to help you avoid a flooding catastrophe from heavy rains
Flooding is a major problem, especially when you live in Atlanta and get deluges of heavy rain in the summer. Many an Atlantan has encountered a soggy basement due to summer storms (or any-time-of-the-year storms), and it’s very important to go over thunderstorm safety with your family. Lots of floods are caused by poor or blocked drainage, where the water has nowhere to go and just continues to build and build.
But remember that flooding due to heavy rain isn’t covered by homeowners insurance. You’d need a separate flood insurance policy for that. Anyways, we’ve got some tips to help you avoid flooding from surface water in your home.