x
Breaking News
More () »

Flood insurance – What you need to know

HARTFORD — Communities like Kent continue to deal with flooding due to  ice jams that  have formed on area rivers, raising questions about flood insurance...

HARTFORD -- Communities like Kent continue to deal with flooding due to  ice jams that  have formed on area rivers, raising questions about flood insurance .

Managed by the federal government, flood Insurance is designed to help the impact of flooding on private and public structures by providing affordable insurance to property owners. The goal is to have communities to adopt and enforce floodplain management regulations which will reduce the effects of flooding on new and improved structures.

For more answers about who needs flood insurance, and how to buy it, click here.  You can determine the how likely your property is to flood through maps available online. After you enter your address,  you will be taken to a page with a map number. Some areas will have an interactive map available. If you click on the link that says "View Web Map" it will take you there.  Other areas of the state will have an older image, which you can either view or print.

If your home is in a designated flood zone mortgage lenders require homeowners to have a flood insurance policy, separate from their home owner's policy.  If your home is not within a flood zone on the federal flood plain map, you may still be able to purchase a flood insurance policy through the national program.

"Flood insurance is very different than a standard homeowner's policy.  Food insurance isn’t designed to put you back where you where it’s designed to get you back on your feet and to start rebuilding.  A lot of things under a homeowners policy like additional living expenses if you’re out of your home that’s not covered under a flood insurance policy," Gerard O’Sullivan, Director of Consumer Affairs for the Connecticut Insurance Department, said.

Insurance experts also said that homeowners should be aware that if your home is suffering from damage of the weight of ice, not water damage you may not be covered by your policy.  Most flood insurance policies only cover your home's structure, not that contents inside.  Coverage for the items inside your home comes at an extra cost.

Before You Leave, Check This Out