Facing the Fury: Benefits of having flood insurance outweigh the costs
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For 70 years, Beto Gonzalez has been a proud Valley resident. In 2018, his home was one of the hundreds flooded in June.
“It started raining continuously harder and harder,” Gonzalez recalled. “And then the water started coming in.”
The damage was heartbreaking for him and his wife.
“We never had water inside the house, never,” Gonzalez said. “And I’ve lived here on this property for more than 50 years now.”
Even after the water receded, the problems didn't end.
The contaminated water ruined pictures, tools, clothes furniture. Their home needed new sheet rock and insulation.
The cost added up.
“Washer, dryer, stove, everything that was non-usable, everything had to be replaced,” Gonzalez explained. “It was about an average of about a little over $10,000 or something that we on average had to replace.”
Flood insurance will cover the cost of damage from a major flood — or if it's an inch of water. That inch is enough to cause over $25,000 in damage.
Homeowners and renter's insurance often don't cover those damages.
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the average cost for insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program is around $700 a year, or $60 per month. Keep in mind, the price varies based on the location of your home.
Typically, there is a 30-day waiting period from when you pay for your coverage to when it goes into effect.
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