Chesapeake In The Know

Flooding is not an uncommon occurrence in Chesapeake. Our city is so flat and low that the highest elevation is literally in the swamp! Part of preparing for emergencies is having proper insurance coverage. For Chesapeake residents, that should include flood insurance.

Many people in Chesapeake are required to have flood insurance because of where their homes are within the FEMA designated flood map. But just because you’re not required to get flood insurance, doesn’t mean you won’t have to deal with flooding. In fact, over 90% of the flood damage in Chesapeake from Hurricane Matthew was outside of the flood map.

Flood insurance for those who elect to get it is generally quite reasonably priced.  You could be talking about just a few hundred dollars a year that could cover you for hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage. And floods can definitely be costly. Just one inch of water can cause $25,000 in damage to your home.

Keep in mind that flood insurance takes 30 days to go into effect so you don’t want to wait for the next storm to look into it. Visit FloodSmart.gov or contact your insurance agent to learn more.