Hurricane Irma took Jacksonville a bit by surprise, and there was flooding at levels not seen in 150 years in the area. The damage was catastrophic for many people and businesses, and it will take a lot of time to recover. The winds certainly did damage, but most notably was the epic flooding which occurred downtown due to the St. Johns River as well as the prolonged flooding at the Jacksonville Beaches. It certainly wasn’t Jacksonville alone who sustained effects from the storm. Its 350-mile width had every county in the state under a hurricane watch for the first time in history.
While Florida hasn’t seen this type of widespread damage in over 10 years, we got a sobering reminder of these Atlantic Storms true power last year with Hurricane Matthew. By now, everyone should not understand the real for Florida Hurricane insurance. Florida storm insurance is a bit unique in that Florida has so much risk from hurricanes and flooding.
Basic Insurance Necessities
There is basic homeowners insurance that covers a lot of different things. Flood insurance has a federal program as well as a few private programs now for high-risk areas – and Florida has a lot of those!
**Bonus Material**
National vs Private Flood Insurance Programs – Your Options
The Time to Act is NOW
The decision to get hurricane insurance has to be made well in advance. Hurricanes take storms to a different level, and you won’t be able to buy a policy when a hurricane is headed directly toward you. Once a hurricane watch is declared, you will not be able to bind an insurance policy. Water and the wind are the main culprits when it comes to damage caused by hurricanes. As a result, you may need Florida storm insurance as well as hurricane insurance in Jacksonville. But remember that most homeowners policies do not cover damage caused by these huge storms.
There are a lot of variables when it comes to hurricane and flood insurance. Whether you are in a flood plain will affect your cost, as well as how close you are to the ocean. These things make Florida hurricane insurance vary in cost, and then there is the deductible. The higher your deductible, the lower your cost will be for Jacksonville flood insurance. The value of the home itself also has a great impact on the rates charged for insurance. Hurricane insurance deductibles are figured by percentage instead of dollar amounts which most other policies use.
Homeowners insurance can get complicated, especially in Florida with all the variables involved. You may have some coverage for wind damage, but to be safe it is a good idea to make sure by having a separate Florida hurricane insurance policy. Visit your local agent today and go over the content of your homeowners policy to make sure you are covered.
Call it what you will, but things like climate change seem to be bringing stronger storms, and some are predicting more of them. Don’t wait until the next Irma is bearing down on us to get your Jacksonville hurricane insurance policy.
Pablo Beach Insurance
The BEST Insurance Agency in Jacksonville!
For over 13 years, PBIG has been helping Florida Homeowners by getting them the right coverage at the right price. We are locally owned, have a casual approach, and deliver professional results. Click the image below to get a no-hassle, free quote from one of our home insurance experts.
