IMPACTS. A LARGE PART OF THE CITY HAS SOME LEVELS OF FLOODING. WE HAVE CREWS SURVEYING TO DETERMINE THE SEVERITY OF FLOODING IN EACH NEIGHBORHOOD SO WE CAN ESTABLISH A COURSE OF ACTION GOING FORWARD. AT THIS HOUR, CREWS IN BROWARD COUNTY ARE STILL RESPONDING TO CALLS FOR HELP AFTER WEDNESDAY’S HISTORIC FLOODING. THIS IS NEW VIDEO OUT OF PLANTATION WHERE A CAR WAS JUST TOWED OUT OF A POND. DRIVERS ARE WARNING PEOPLE THAT IT’S REALLY DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHAT’S UNDER THE WATER AND JUST HOW DEEP IT IS. AND TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. YOU CAN SEE WATER RUSHING THROUGH A GARAGE, PARKING IN FORT LAUDERDALE. STATE OFFICIALS CONDUCTED A FLYOVER EARLIER TODAY AND SAY THERE ARE AREAS THAT STILL LOOK LIKE THEY HAVE ABOUT THREE FEET OF STANDING WATER. AND AS THE FLOODING IN FORT LAUDERDALE BEGINS TO RECEDE, INSURERS, AGENTS AND FEMALE LEADERS SAY NOW IS A GOOD TIME FOR PEOPLE IN OUR AREA TO CONSIDER PURCHASING FLOOD INSURANCE. IF YOU DON’T HAVE IT ALREADY. OUR STEVE KING JOINING US FROM THE TREASURE COAST WITH SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT EXPERTS SAY YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FLOOD INSURANCE. I SPOKE WITH AN INSURANCE AGENT AND A FEMA SPOKESPERSON, AND THEY BOTH SAY WHAT HAPPENED IN FORT LAUDERDALE THIS WEEK SHOWS THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE FLOOD INSURANCE REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU LIVE IN A FLOOD ZONE. THE EASIEST THING TO REMEMBER IS YOU DON’T NECESSARILY NEED TO LOOK AT A FLOOD MAP JUST LOOK AT YOUR ADDRESS. IF YOUR ADDRESS SAYS FLORIDA ON IT, YOU NEED FLOOD INSURANCE. FEMA SPOKESPERSON JOHN MILLS SAYS FLOOD INSURANCE IS REQUIRED FOR SOME HOMEOWNERS WHO LIVE INSIDE OF A FLOOD ZONE. BUT HE SAYS EVEN IF YOU LIVE SOMEWHERE WHERE IT’S NOT REQUIRED, HAVING FLOOD INSURANCE IS THE SAFEST BET. IN FLORIDA, YOU EITHER LIVE IN A HIGH RISK FLOOD ZONE OR YOU LIVE NEAR ONE. WATER DOES NOT FOLLOW LINES ON A MAP. HE ALSO REMINDS ALL FLORIDIANS THAT UNLESS A MAJOR DISASTER DECLARATION IS DECLARED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, PEOPLE WITH FLOOD DAMAGE CANNOT APPLY FOR ASSISTANCE FOR FLOOD DAMAGE THROUGH FEMA. IN FORT LAUDERDALE, THERE IS NO FEDERAL MAJOR DISASTER DECLARATION. AND TODAY, THE DIRECTOR OF THE FLORIDA DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SAID THAT LIKELY WILL NOT HAPPEN. WE ALSO SPOKE WITH THE OWNER OF GEORGIA INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL SERVICE IN FORT PIERCE, WHO ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED FOR FLOOD INSURANCE. 40 TO 50% OF THE HOMES THAT ARE GETTING FLOODED IS BEING FLOODED OUTSIDE OF YOUR FLOOD AREA ZONE. SO WHAT WE HAVE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AS YOU SEE IN FORT LAUDERDALE, IS THAT YOU’VE GOT FLOODING. AND SOMETIMES THE PEOPLE GO WITHOUT THE FLOOD INSURANCE AND THEN THEY RECOGNIZE THAT WHEN THEY HAVE THE FLOODING EVENT, THEY DON’T HAVE COVERAGE FOR IT. EXPERTS SAY A TYPICAL FLOOD INSURANCE POLICY CAN COST ABOUT $340 A YEAR. TYPICAL POLICIES USUALLY COVER ABOUT $250,000 FOR DAMAGE TO THE STRUCTURE AND $100,000 FOR DAMAGE TO PERSONAL PROPERTY INSIDE THE HOME. COMING UP AT SIX, WE’LL SHOW YOU HOW YOU CAN FIND OUT IF YOU LIVE IN A FLOOD ZONE. AND FOR PEOPLE WITH CITIZENS PROPERTY INSURANCE, WHAT CHANGES THEY CAN EXPECT FOR FLOOD INSURANCE MOVING FORWARD.
Here’s why experts say all Floridians need flood insurance
Updated: 5:46 PM EDT Apr 14, 2023
As the flooding in Fort Lauderdale begins to recede, insurance agents and Federal Emergency Management Agency leaders say now is a good time for people in our area to consider purchasing flood insurance if they don’t already have it. “The easiest thing to remember is you don’t necessarily need to look at a flood map, just look at your address. If your address says ‘Florida’ on it, you need flood insurance,” said John Mills, spokesperson for FEMA. Mills says flood insurance is required for some homeowners who live inside of a flood zone, but he says even if you live somewhere where it’s not required, having flood insurance is the safest bet. Click here to find out if you live in a flood zone . “In Florida, you either live in a high-risk flood zone or you live near one. Water does not follow lines on a map. So when you get seven inches of rain, 1sts 0 inches of rain, 20 inches of rain or more in a single location in a short period of time, chances are it’s going to flood in that location. That’s why it’s important to have flood insurance,” said Mills. He also reminded all Floridians that unless a major disaster declaration is declared by the federal government, people with flood damage cannot apply for assistance for flood damage through FEMA. In Fort Lauderdale, there is no federal major disaster declaration. And on Friday, the director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management said that likely won’t happen. The owner of Jerger Insurance and Financial Service in Fort Pierce, Gregory Jerger, also highlights the need for flood insurance.” Forty to 50% of the homes that are getting flooded are being flooded outside of your flood area zones,” said Jerger. “What we’re having in the state of Florida, as you see in Fort Lauderdale, is that you have flooding and sometimes people go without the flood insurance and then when they recognize they have a flooding event, they don’t have coverage for it.” What we’re seeing today is that we are having flooding that is outside of flood zones, so a lot of people are getting flooding that is not in a flood area, so if you don’t have that flood insurance policy, then you don’t have the coverage,” said Jerger. Experts say a typical flood insurance policy in Florida can cost about $340 for the year. Typical policies usually cover about $250,000 in damages to the structure and about $100,000 in damage to personal property inside the home. One of Florida’s leading homeowner’s insurance providers, Citizens Property Insurance, will require all customers to tack on flood insurance by the year 2027. This is due to Senate Bill 2-A, passed during special session, and signed into law by Gov , Ron DeSantis.
As the flooding in Fort Lauderdale begins to recede, insurance agents and Federal Emergency Management Agency leaders say now is a good time for people in our area to consider purchasing flood insurance if they don’t already have it.
“The easiest thing to remember is you don’t necessarily need to look at a flood map, just look at your address. If your address says ‘Florida’ on it, you need flood insurance,” said John Mills, spokesperson for FEMA.
Mills says flood insurance is required for some homeowners who live inside a flood zone, but he says even if you live somewhere where it’s not required, having flood insurance is the safest bet.
Click here to find out if you live in a flood zone.
“In Florida, you either live in a high-risk flood zone or you live near one. Water does not follow lines on a map. So when you get seven inches of rain, 1sts 0 inches of rain, 20 inches of rain or more in a single location in a short period of time, chances are it’s going to flood in that location.That’s why it’s important to have flood insurance,” said Mills.
He also reminded all Floridians that unless a major disaster declaration is declared by the federal government, people with flood damage cannot apply for assistance for flood damage through FEMA.
In Fort Lauderdale, there is no federal major disaster declaration. And on Friday, the director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management said that likely won’t happen.
The owner of Jerger Insurance and Financial Services in Fort Pierce, Gregory Jerger, also highlights the need for flood insurance.
“Forty to 50% of the homes that are getting flooded are being flooded outside of your flood area zones,” said Jerger. “What we’re having in the state of Florida, as you see in Fort Lauderdale, is that you have flooding and sometimes people go without the flood insurance and then when they recognize they have a flooding event, they don’t have coverage for it.
“What we’re seeing today is that we are having flooding that is outside of flood zones, so a lot of people are getting flooding that is not in a flood area, so if you don’t have that flood insurance policy, then you don’t have the coverage,” said Jerger.
Experts say a typical flood insurance policy in Florida can cost about $340 per year. Typical policies usually cover about $250,000 in damages to the structure and about $100,000 in damage to personal property inside the home.
One of Florida’s leading homeowner’s insurance providers, Citizens Property Insurance, will require all customers to tack on flood insurance by the year 2027. This is due to Senate Bill 2-A, passed during special session, and signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis.