Rob Ramos of Marysville first knew he had a leak during the winter storms of 2006, when he saw water in his garage. The 6-foot-wide puddle came as a surprise.
“I was just in shock and didn’t know what to expect,” Ramos said. “You get water on your property and you kinda freak out a bit.”
Last week’s storms have freaked out a lot of people in Snohomish County and throughout Western Washington as homes and apartments in urban areas were flooded right along with homes in floodplains.
Those urban dwellers may soon learn what those who live along rivers have known for a long time — they may be out of luck if they don’t have separate flood insurance because most homeowners policies don’t cover water damage.
Standard policies pay for repairs resulting from covered problems such as a broken water pipe, a fire or a windstorm. Damage from roof leaks, excessive condensation or poor landscaping is usually excluded.
“Maintenance of the home is the responsibility of the homeowner,” said Darrin Sanger, communications director with the Northwest Insurance Council. “An insurance policy is not a maintenance contract. It’s extremely important for homeowners to regularly maintain their homes.”
The National Flood Insurance Program handled by the Federal Emergency Management Agency does provide coverage for people who live in designated floodplains. Those who don’t live on floodplains can also buy the insurance.
“People buy flood insurance from the same person they get home insurance from,” said Mike Howard, external affairs director for FEMA region 10, which covers Alaska, Oregon, Idaho and Washington.
When buying a home in a mapped floodplain area, federally insured lending institutions require that homeowners have flood insurance. A flood map will be created that tells the lender whether the structure is in a 100-year floodplain.
The price of flood insurance depends on where you live and other criteria.
“The cost varies tremendously,” said Claudia McClain, owner of McClain Insurance Services in Everett.
If homeowners do not live in a major flood zone, then flood insurance might cost about $300 per year for up to $250,000 coverage on a house. For the same coverage for a home along a river, costs can reach $1,000 and maybe more per year.
McClain’s company has seen the number of people asking for flood insurance in some communities rise in recent years. “It is still a fairly small percentage,” McClain said.
If you do have a flood policy, rental costs for items such as portable dehumidifiers may be covered. Those machines and air conditioners can help dry out the interior of the home.
That’s important because water can rot drywall and support beams and crack foundations. It can also cause mold.
Ramos doesn’t live on a floodplain. The first pool of water in his garage prompted him to use quick-dry cement to repair the crack the foundation he found when he dug a 3-foot hole. It was only a little crack, but there was lots of water gathering in the corner where the foundation sloped. Ramos thought the problem was solved until the next rain.
“It was bigger than I thought,” Ramos said. “The problem I was facing is that it’s right behind the water heater.”
A temporary fix came when Ramos dug trenches to give the water an angle to run out.
“It had nowhere to run. It saturated the area and worked its way through the foundation,” he said.
Ramos is pleased that he didn’t get any water in the foundation or any other part of his home as a result of last week’s heavy rain, but the permanent repair is still to be done.
McClain said that homeowners such as Ramos can be surprised when they find out that their homeowners policy does not cover water damage, floods or earthquakes.
“People are still sleeping at night thinking that it (earthquake) and water are covered,” McClain said. “We have to remind them from time to time that it is a separate policy.”
Christina Harper is a Snohomish County freelance writer. She can be reached at harper@heraldnet.com.
Flood coverage
For more information on flood insurance, call your insurance agent. You can also call 800-427-2419 or go to www.floodsmart.gov to find an agent in your area. The NW Insurance Council can be reached at 800-664-4942 or www.nwinsurance.org.
Watch for leaks
Check the flashing on your chimney; it can come loose over time, allowing water to get in.
Routinely inspect roofs, gutters, ceilings, walls, floors, ducts and windowsills for water stains, discoloration or musty odors.
During colder weather, circulate the air and open a window every now and then to prevent condensation.
Consistently run fans in the bathroom after a shower.
If you discover a leak, stop it at the source immediately.
If you have flood damage
Check for structural damage before re-entering your home. Contact the appropriate professionals immediately if you suspect damage to water, gas, electric or sewer lines.
File a claim if you have flood insurance.
Take photographs of water in the house and of damaged personal property.
Put damaged items outside the home. Adjusters will have to see evidence of the damage and damaged items.
Make a list of damaged or lost items and, if possible, include their age and value.
Remove baseboards and make small holes in the drywall between the wall studs to aid in the drying process.
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