The Flood Control District strongly encourages all property owners to purchase and maintain flood insurance. They should also take other suitable precautions to protect their properties and themselves from injury due to flooding. Please also note that the only way to financially protect your investment as a tenant or property owner is to purchase a separate flood insurance policy. If you are renting a home, then consider purchasing renter’s insurance to insure your belongings. For information about the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), please call 1-877-427-4661or visit www.FloodSmart.gov.  

WAITING PERIOD

Normally, there is a 30-day waiting period for flood insurance to become effective. However, the post-wildfire waiting period exception for flood insurance described below was passed into law due to the efforts of the late Sen. John McCain.

The following are exceptions to the 30-day waiting period:

No waiting period:

• If you purchase flood insurance while making, increasing, extending, or renewing your mortgage loan.

• If you change your flood insurance coverage on your insurance policy renewal bill.

• In the event of flooding after a wildfire, if a property is impacted by flooding on burned federal land and the policy is purchased within 60 days of the wildfire-containment date. Waiving of the waiting period is determined at the time of claim. The most important component of this is that, although the exemption is law, waiving of the waiting period remains FEMA’s decision, which is determined at the time of the claim.

1-day waiting period:

• If a home or business is newly designated to be in the high-risk flood area and you purchase flood insurance within the 13-month period following a map update.

If you have additional questions, then please visit www.FloodSmart.gov/policy-terms or discuss this with their insurance provider. 

Meanwhile, remember that where it can rain, it can flood.  Buy flood insurance to help protect the life or business you’ve built.