How To Prepare For A Flood Event

Spring Showers May Bring Beautiful Flowers, But They Can Also Bring Flood Hazards!

Four Things You Can Do Today to Prepare for A Flood Event

What’s not to love about spring in New England? After another long winter that brought our area plenty of snow, cold and power outages, you are probably overjoyed to see all the signs of the season of rebirth, renewal, and rejuvenation – the flowers and tree buds are starting to bloom, there’s a festival in the local park every weekend, and the sun doesn’t set until almost 8pm.

The only thing that we could probably do without is all the rain that comes along with springtime. In fact, many towns around Massachusetts can expect to have as much as 35 days of rainfall over the course of the next few months, making one third of our spring a wet mess!

As you may have experienced in your neighborhood, consecutive days – not to mention weeks – of spring rain, no matter how light or heavy, can often lead to inland and coastal flooding. In fact, according to the Northeast States Emergency Consortium (NESEC), floods are the most common and costly hazard to affect New Englanders, and most of the communities that HUB International serves have experienced some level of flooding and/or are at risk for flooding from not only spring rains, but also other serious weather patterns, like summer’s violent thunderstorms and fall’s forceful hurricanes.

At HUB International, we’ve shared our flood insurance knowledge and expertise with thousands of New Englanders just like you. But, we also continue to strive to do more to help protect your homes, your possessions and your loved ones in the event of a flood. So, in addition to assisting you with finding comprehensive and affordable flood insurance, we would like to share four important tips that will help you better prepare for the possibility of a flood in your area this spring (or any time of year).

1. Stay alert and informed. The National Weather Service (NWS) provides alerts and warning information to the public via multiple sources, including NOAA Weather Radio, NOAA Weather Wire Service, and Weather.gov. While the NWS does not provide direct email/SMS alerts, they do recommend a variety of weather alert sources that you can sign up for on your smartphone or other device.
2. Plan and practice. Having a Family Emergency Plan in place, and practicing it regularly, ensures that everyone in your household will know what to do in case of an emergency, like a flood. In addition, HUB International recommends that you put together a basic emergency supply kit with water, non-perishable food, flashlights, first aid kit, and more. Don’t forget to include extra items for your household pets as well!
3. Take stock of your stuff. If it’s been awhile since you’ve completed a home inventory list, there’s no time like today. In the event that there is damage or loss to your home due to a flood, having this list is going to save you crucial time and stress, and make the insurance claim process move more quickly and smoothly. It also provides you with a helpful shopping list so you can make your house a home again after a disaster. Finally, take special note of items in your basement, where flooding often occurs first, and remember to elevate these belongings or move them to higher ground when a bad storm is in the forecast.
4. Be proactive. One of the least known facts about homeowners, condo, or renters insurance is that a standard policy does not include any coverage for flood. That’s why it’s so important to take the time to discuss your property’s flood risk with your insurance agent and to discuss why flood insurance might be an important protection to have. With flood insurance, you will secure critical coverage that extends to both your property and your belongings. Plus, having the right flood insurance policy in place could save you hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairing your home or replacing belongings in the event of a flood. However – and this is why your preplanning is so important – most flood insurance policies take at least 30 days to commence. If you put off looking into insurance now, then when your weather alert app tells you a severe storm is coming, it may be too late to get this important coverage in place.

Here at HUB International, we may not have the power to stop what Mother Nature has in store for us this spring or any season for that matter; however, our professionals can provide you with assistance for all your flood insurance needs, including reviewing your current flood insurance policy, finding you new flood insurance coverage, answering questions you might have about your flood risk, or simply helping you understand how to better protect your home, your belongings, and your family from the possibility of a flood event.

If you are ready for a more personal relationship with a trusted insurance professional who cares about safeguarding everything under your roof, call us today at 833-GoCallHUB or visit us at any one of our three convenient Massachusetts locations.