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Flood Insurance

McBride Insurance Serves Clients’ Flood Insurance Needs With A Personal Touch

Here in the northern part of Middlesex County, we are lucky to have several beautiful, and substantial, rivers that weave through our communities of Billerica, Chelmsford, Tewksbury, Lowell, and Dracut.

Being surrounded by the Concord, the Shawsheen and the Merrimack rivers has a lot of perks, like great hikes, peaceful boating and canoeing, and fruitful fishing. But, as both your neighbor and your local insurance agent, McBride insurance has also been around to see when these very same rivers wreak havoc on our homes and neighborhoods when they crest.

In fact, in the course of just a couple of days, we’ve seen how heavy rainstorms can cause our rivers to overflow, strand residents and keep our police and fire departments very busy. While flooding during torrential rains may be an obvious outcome, floods can occur for many other reasons in this area as well, including:

  • Rapid snow melt
  • Hurricanes
  • New land development
  • Fire hydrant break
  • Blockages caused by beaver dams

Some of these situations may sound unrelated to flood. For example, why would new development going up near you have any impact on flooding on your property? Well, imagine if a townhome community gets built on higher ground above your home. Then, a heavy rainfall comes. Suddenly, you realize that the water overflow from the new neighborhood is draining directly towards your property. Soon enough your first floor is underwater and you are calling your insurance agent.

In this Greater Billerica area, for a variety of reasons, some amount of flooding every season is bound to happen. As a potential or current homeowner, the question you should be asking yourself is not, “Will my home be affected by a flood situation?” Instead, it should be, “How can I protect my home, property, and belongings from flooding?”

Our very knowledgeable flood insurance industry experts are here to help with four key insights about this critical coverage:

  • 1. Your home insurance policy is not going to cover damage due to flooding.

    At McBride, we think this point is so important that we state this upfront on every homeowners policy with a big bright sticker. We believe it is our responsibility, like any good insurance agent would, to be very clear and transparent with our clients on what their insurance coverage provides for and what it doesn’t, and floods are definitely not covered under your standard home insurance.

  • 2. While there are no competitive rates for flood insurance, our savvy insurance agents can potentially find you savings.

    Current homeowners most likely have flood insurance because it is required if you are in a flood zone. And since this insurance is a federally funded program, there is no price competition. However, there are several ways to be smart about your flood insurance and possibly save money, including choosing a different deductible level or having an experienced agent check for any errors in your home’s classification or zoning.

  • 3. Flood insurance doesn’t cover the contents of your basement.

    For flood insurance to kick in, the flooding needs to have reached the first floor of your home. In addition, for a flood event to be named as such, at least your property plus one more must experience flooding (yes, it takes two to make a flood become a flood). That being said, flood insurance will cover damage to any mechanicals in your basement that are affected by flooding, such as your furnace, water heater, and circuit breakers.

  • 4. Sometimes your mortgage lender and your insurance agent may disagree on your flood zone determination.

    This happens more than you might think and when it does you want to make sure that your insurance partner is not only very wise about flood insurance, but will also always keep your best interest in mind. With sophisticated tools, specialized training, and many years of know-how, your McBride agent will investigate the area where your property is located, identify it on the flood map, and determine your flood zone. If we have a difference of opinion with your lender, we may be able to save you thousands of dollars. You can trust that we will to go to battle for you and work closely with the bank to get the proper coverage, at the right price, in place for your home.

With today’s technology, getting flood mapping information for clients is the easy part. As Billerica’s local independent agent for generations, we remember the days when we used to have to walk on over to Town Hall and carefully assess the actual flood maps for our clients. It’s this longtime expertise and personal service that will always distinguish us in the flood insurance industry.

Contact us today for a complimentary review of your current flood insurance policy or to enlist our help with new coverage on a house, condo or apartment. Before you decide, please call McBride, 978-663-3301.

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The McBride Personal Touch means clearly and concisely explaining flood insurance to you including what it will cover, and what it won’t:

Covered

  • Personal belongings, such as clothing, furniture and electronic equipment
  • Damage to walls, floors, and fixtures
  • Curtains
  • Portable and window air conditioners
  • Portable microwave ovens and portable dishwashers
  • Carpets that are not included in building coverage
  • Clothing washers and dryers
  • Food freezers and the food in them
  • Certain valuable items such as original artwork and furs (up to $2,500)

Not Covered

  • Basement contents such as finished walls, floors, ceilings or personal belongings that may be kept in the basement
  • Damage caused by moisture, mildew or mold that could have been avoided by the property owner
  • Currency, precious metals and valuable papers such as stock certificates
  • Property and belongings outside of an insured building such as plants, wells, septic systems, walkways, decks, fences, seawalls, hot tubs and swimming pools
  • Living expenses such as temporary housing
  • Most self-propelled vehicles such as cars, including their parts

We have much more to share about flood insurance, maps and zones, and safety. Please call us today at 978-663-3301 so our team can ensure you are well prepared for a flood emergency.