The National Flood Insurance Program holds the vast majority of the risks, both riverine and coastal for flooding losses in the US. The National Flood Insurance Program is a limited policy and only allows $250,000 for residential and $500,000 for commercial plus a small amount for ICC or increased cost of construction. In addition to these policy limits, many exclusions apply that can affect a person’s risk. Check out the NFIP website here. Proper floodplain management and the construction and planning of our built environment is necessary to mitigate against future flood risks. Excess flood insurance is paramount to protecting one’s risk.
Obviously flood is water damage, but the type of loss can be very different depending on the type of flooding a property receives. The losses from flood can range from velocity flood knocking out structural supports to slow rising water that comes up and then goes away. Or you may have multi day flooding when it doesn’t go away quickly like in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina or the river flooding in the Midwest.
The time that floodwater spends in a house and the pollutants carried in floodwaters can vary greatly and determine the likelihood of a successful restoration. Short term flood losses can be restored with simple removal of the water damaged building components and application of a mildewcide along with the inclusion of dry interior air either created manually with equipment or by outside, non-humid air being circulated to the inside. These are the cases where one will see two to four feet of drywall removed from the finished floor elevation up.
Complete provides for appraisal and expert services on flood losses. We have several team members with years of experience in working thru the intricate and changing details associated with this program. In addition John Minor is a Certified Flood Plain Manager trained in floodplain management rules and ordinances. Our clients hire us because of our previous experiences in doing the repairs following these damages and our experience in conforming to the requirements of the program over three decades. We have served as experts on FEMAs 50% rule on multiple occasions in Santa Rosa and Escambia county courtrooms.
