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Flood Damage Insurance

Most homeowner's insurance policies do not cover property damage from flooding. Historically, only about twenty to twenty-five percent of all flood claims are fulfilled on properties located outside of high-risk flood areas.  Flooding is one of the most frequent natural disasters in Florida and is usually caused by hurricanes, severe thunderstorms, and heavy rainfall. In Florida, flooding can occur anytime and anywhere.

Moreover, according to Sarasota County's official City website, Sarasota is one of the more high-risk flood zones in the State. Flood damage to real or personal property usually results when an excess of water or mudflow saturates normally dry land. Floodwater often leads to additional water, mildew, and mold damage.

If your insurance claim for flood damage has been denied or undervalued in bad faith, then it is crucial that you hire an experienced Sarasota property insurance attorney.

Attorney for Flood Damage in Sarasota, FL

Contact Germain Law Group for more information about flood damage in Sarasota and how an experienced property insurance attorney can advocate against your insurance company's unfair evaluations.

Attorney Michael Germain is knowledgeable in all areas of Florida insurance law and has substantial experience in flood damage claims. We represent clients throughout the North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton Metropolitan area. Our offices have served clients in Sarasota, North Port, Bradenton, Hernando De Soto, and Punta Gorda.

Michael B. Germain is an experienced property insurance attorney who takes cases in Sarasota Florida, in Sarasota County and in the surrounding counties of Manatee County, DeSoto County, or Charlotte County, Florida.

Call (941) 316-0333 for more information about how an insurance attorney can help you.

Flood Damage Insurance in Sarasota

According to the Sarasota City Government, most basic homeowner's insurance policies do not cover flood damage. There is typically a thirty-day (30) wait after purchasing homeowner's insurance before the policy even becomes effective. Moreover, properties that have been marked "low risk" can, and still do, flood.

Under the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 and the National Flood Insurance Act of 1994, the Federal government requires all structures that are located in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) to carry a home mortgage loan backed by a federally regulated lender or service.

A standard Florida insurance policy may cover damage to the building's structure, air conditioner, carpet or tile, and other damage from debris, but the contents of the building are not usually covered.

It is important to examine your insurance policy to determine if you have flood coverage and if your policy has any exclusions about flood damage or other policy limits on the type and amount of damage covered by the flood insurance.

Filing a Flood Damage Claim in Florida

If your home is damaged by a flood, it is imperative that you call your Sarasota property insurance attorney immediately to make sure that you disclose only relevant information to your insurance provider. If you do not provide accurate information, your insurance company could deny your claim altogether.

After speaking with your lawyer, you should then contact your property insurance provider or allow your attorney to contact them on your behalf. You may have different insurance companies and provisions for various types of coverage, so it is important to contact the correct provider for your relevant policy.

Additionally, timely filing your claim for damages with your insurance company is important because Florida statute of limitations laws provide that an individual only has a certain amount of time to bring a claim for damages for property insurance.

Additional Resources

The Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 – Visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency website for more information on The National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, which created the Federal Insurance Administration and made flood insurance available for the first time. The Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 made purchasing flood insurance mandatory in Special Flood Hazard Areas like those listed in Sarasota. FEMA's mission is to support citizens and other first responders to ensure that we work together as a nation to grow, build, and sustain ourselves against natural disasters.

42 U.S.C. 50 National Flood Insurance –Visit the Government Publishing Office website for a full layout of Chapter 50 of Title 42 of the U.S. Code concerning mandatory National Flood Insurance. The Law went into effect on January 3, 2012. The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) is the Federal Government's official, digital source for producing, capturing, and authenticating official information products of the U.S. Government.

Find an Attorney for Flood Damage in Sarasota County, FL

Contact the Germain Law Group today for a consultation about your flood damage property claim in Sarasota County, DeSoto County, Manatee County and Charlotte County, Florida. Michael B. Germain is an experienced property damage claims lawyer in the North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton Metropolitan area who will listen to the facts of your situation and help you determine the best recourse in pursuing your flood damage claim.

Contact the Germain Law Group at (941) 316-0333 for a consultation about your property insurance issues throughout Central Florida, including Sarasota, Hernando Desoto, Bradenton, North Port, and other surrounding cities.

This article was last updated on Friday, June 7, 2017.