Although flooding can happen at any time, communities across the U.S. face an increased risk of flooding each spring. The spring season brings warmer weather and longer days, but it also brings a variety of conditions that increase the likelihood of heavy rain and flood damage.
Spring Flood Risks
- Spring Showers: Spring storms can bring several inches of rain in just a few hours. Along with overfilling storm drains or causing rivers to overflow, heavy rain oversaturates soil. Saturated—or still frozen—soil is unable to absorb any excess moisture. The rain then collects on the surface and leads to flooding.
- Snowmelt: As the weather warms, snow begins to melt and releases large amounts of water into its environment. Released water that is not absorbed by the ground becomes runoff that flows into rivers, streams, and lakes, the excess water often spilling over and flooding nearby areas.
- Ice Jams: Ice jams occur when ice on top of a river begins to break up and large chunks of ice clump together as they move downstream, blocking the river’s flow. When the rushing water has nowhere to go, it begins to overflow and flood nearby areas.
Are You Protected?
According to FEMA, 99% of US counties have been impacted by a flooding event, and just one inch of water inside a home could cause $25,000 or more of flood damage.
Everyone is at risk for spring flooding, yet many remain unprotected.
Despite the prevalent risk of significant economic loss in the face of a flood, misconceptions about the peril result in highly inadequate levels of coverage nationwide. Only 2% of California homeowners have flood insurance, and significant protection gaps exist across the nation as well.
Palomar Protects
Palomar’s flood insurance offerings are easier to obtain and offer broader coverage than policies backed by the NFIP. Palomar can quote any flood zone and does not require an elevation certificate, waiting period or, in many cases, an up-front payment to secure coverage.
