CNN — Homeowners insurance policies typically don’t cover flood damage, and most people living in Hurricane Ian’s path across Florida did not have a separate flood insurance policy.
Inland areas that experienced historic rainfall and catastrophic floodwaters were especially unprepared, according to a CNN analysis of FEMA flood insurance data.
The most concerning factor coming out of the storm and all the losses is the lack of flood insurance, particularly in the Central Florida area said Mark Friedlander, the corporate communications director of the Insurance Information Institute, an industry group.
While people without flood insurance will still be eligible for assistance payments from FEMA and potentially other aid approved by Congress, many homeowners will likely only receive a tiny fraction of the cost of the damage they suffered. “People are going to be really disappointed when they see what funds they get and how short they are in helping them recover,” Friedlander said.
When Amanda Trompeta was woken up by her dog barking early last Thursday morning, she assumed he was just frightened by Hurricane Ian. But then she got out of bed – and found herself standing ankle-deep in floodwater. By the time the storm passed, three and a half feet of murky, dark water had swept into Trompeta’s house in the Orlando suburb of Winter Springs. “It went everywhere, every single room,” she said. “All the floors, all the walls have to be redone – everything is ruined.”
Despite the devastation, when Trompeta called her insurance company, she came to an unpleasant realization: “They are not planning on covering anything.”
Unfortunately, only about a fourth of single-family homes in coastal Lee County, where Ian came onshore, are covered by federal flood insurance. Whereas some of the hardest-hit areas of the county, like Sanibel Island, half of the homes are covered. And further inland, only about 4% of single-family homes in Seminole County, 3% of homes in Orange County and 2% of homes in Polk County are covered by flood insurance. All of those counties have reported significant flooding during Ian.
If you have sustained hurricane damage to your property, immediately contact The Florida Property Damage Attorneys at Consumer Law Office (CLO). Our law office will file your damage claim and will be by your side at the start of your claim until you get the money you need from your insurance company to fix or rebuild your home or business.
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