With sandy white beaches, championship golf courses, and historic towns, Nassau County offers something for everyone. Unfortunately, “something” includes a high risk for flooding. The county’s 726 square miles is nearly 11 percent water, and much of the remaining 89 percent has sandy soil and poor drainage. The result? Nassau County homeowners often pay dearly for their flood insurance.
We have a better option. By offering flood insurance in Nassau County as an add on to your homeowners insurance, we can cover many homeowners at a lower rate. Let’s take a closer look at what flood insurance is and how our coverage might save you money.
What is Nassau County flood insurance?
Flood insurance is a policy that provides financial protection in situations where floodwaters cause loss.Should a flood damage your home,then your flood insurance kicks in to help with repairs.
And what constitutes a flood? Typically, it's when one or more normally dry acres or one or more properties are inundated with:
A flood can occur when erosion causes waves and currents to exceed normal levels, leading to the ground near a lake or similar body of water to collapse.
If you’re wondering why your home insurance doesn’t cover flood damage, you’re not alone. Most people don’t realize that their home insurance doesn’t cover external flooding like storm surge or overflowing rivers and lakes. That’s partly because of how catastrophic flood damage can be.
Is flood insurance really necessary in Nassau County?
Let’s start with an overview of flood risk. First, research from the Insurance Information Institute shows that 90 percent of all natural disasters in the US involve flooding. Moreover, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) tells us that as little as one inch of water can cause $25,000 of damage to your home.
But Nassau County has more flood risk than many areas of the country. The area has a major risk for floods in the next 30 years, according to Risk Factor. That’s partly due to the likelihood of storm surge from hurricanes, but the county’s topography is an issue, too.
If that doesn’t move you, then you should also take a look at Nassau County flood maps. Complied by Federal Emergency Management Agency, these maps show several flood zones in Nassau County, including:
Each of these are high-risk flood zones. In fact, they have so much risk that FEMA has designated them Special Flood Hazard Areas. This means federally regulated mortgage lenders will only offer you financing if you have flood insurance. Even outside of these flood zones, lenders may require flood insurance if your home is near a body of water.
How much does flood insurance cost in Nassau County, FL?
The average Florida homeowner pays $613 per year for flood insurance – significantly less than the national annual average of $985. However, Nassau County’s location on the Atlantic coast, low-lying areas, and sandy soil make floods a serious threat, and that risk pushes up flood insurance costs.Chances are most Nassau County homeowners pay more than the state average, and some likely pay at least the national average, if not more.
Living with a high risk for floods not only pushes the cost for coverage skyward, but it also can make it difficult to get a policy at all. This is why many homeowners get their flood coverage from the federal government through its National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Unfortunately, NFIP policies only cover your dwelling for up to $250,000 and its contents for up to $100,000.
How Kin flood insurance is different
We offer flood insurance through an endorsement on your homeowners policy. Not only is this a less expensive way to get this essential coverage, but it also means you can:
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Get covered immediately. For comparison, the NFIP imposes a mandatory 30-day waiting period.
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Add flood insurance at any time. As long as your home insurance is active, you can add endorsements.
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Match your flood coverage to your dwelling limits. The NFIP only offers $250,000 in coverage.
Keeping your home and flood insurance coverage with one company is also easier. You pay one insurance bill and only deal with one deductible and one claims process if you do have a flood.
Tips for reducing your flood risk
Florida flood insurance protects you from financial loss should you experience flooding, but that’s only one part of managing your risk. The other is to take steps that protect your home from water damage in the first place. For example, you can minimize your risk by:
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Maintaining your property. Simple steps like cleaning your gutters, positioning rain spouts away from your foundation, and checking your roof for damage can help protect your home.
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Updating your valves. Backflow or gate valves prevent sewers from backing up and flooding your house.
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Using landscaping techniques. Sloping your yard so water drains away from your home is just one way you can prevent water damage from floods.
Nassau County’s location also means you need a disaster preparedness plan to keep their home and family safe.
Still have questions about Nassau County flood insurance? Contact us for answers or to get a quote for your home.
