SKIATOOK, Okla. — As skies finally clear after recent rain, it’s worth considering how prepared your home — and wallet — are for potential flooding.
Following heavy rains and flooding, Laurie, a resident of Skiatook, said, "We weren't even ready for this."
Kathleen Howley, a flood insurance expert, warns that flooding can occur anywhere, particularly outside of federally designated flood zones.
Fast-rising high water, like the situation seen in Skiatook on April 30, surprised many long-time residents who typically anticipate periodic heavy rains bringing high water.
Flood insurance helps flood victims recover, but a Bankrate survey finds only about one-in-ten homeowners buy flood insurance.
Howley explains, "Flood insurance is not included in most, really all, standard home insurance policies. It's a separate policy that you have to buy."
You can obtain it through FEMA, which recently made it more affordable based on a home's flood risk rating.
"Twenty-five percent of the people who have flood insurance saw their rates go down because they're not at high risk," Howley said.
"If you're not in a flood zone, it's going to be cheaper. You may end up paying half of what somebody who is in a flood zone would pay," she added.
To know how much flood insurance would cost for your home, get a quote on floodsmart.gov. The site also provides links to flood maps.
However, Howley cautions that federal flood maps may not accurately reflect an individual home's flood risk. Therefore, she recommends taking additional precautions to help protect your house during even minor flooding events.
- keep roof gutters clean
- clear clogged downspouts
- clean out french drains to prevent water backing up or ponding around your home
When replacing your furnace, check if it can be raised off the ground to prevent costly damage from even small flooding events.
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