Short answer to today’s above-posed blog headline query: maybe.
Alternative response: maybe not.
The bottom line for legions of homeowners in Oklahoma and nationally is that they’re just not quite sure whether they have insurance coverage that safeguards their property against flood damage.
An Oklahoma principal overseeing emergency affairs in one state area notes the ambiguity that often surrounds flood insurance. David Bell flatly recommends that homeowners harboring “do I or don’t I” questions dig out their policy and closely scrutiny it for certainty on the matter. If policy language resists a clear understanding (candidly, it often does), they should contact their carrier to directly address the matter.
At any rate, counsels, Bell, they need to have such insurance, whether or not they live in a so-called “flood zone” where a national insurance program is operative (reportedly, about 22,000 communities across the country participate in the National Flood Insurance Program).
“Water doesn’t read lines on a map,” states Bell, “and it doesn’t just stop at a particular property line.”
Here are a couple facts concerning flooding and insurance supplied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. First, FEMA stresses that flooding is the main catalyst in about 90% of all claimed property damage annually in the United States. And, second, the agency underscores that it is a distinct rarity for a homeowner to have coverage that protects against such damage.
An Oklahoma homeowner can understandably become overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information that exists regarding flood insurance and related damage claims. Questions or concerns regarding the subject matter can be directed to an experienced legal team at a proven Oklahoma City insurance law firm.