Ensuring Your Insurance Against Natural Disasters In Florida

Miami is one of the most popular tourist destination spots in the world, known for its sunny climate, attractive tourist’s resorts and, sadly, its frequent hurricanes. These unpredictable ‘acts of God’ (as is their legal definition) have not only taken a toll on life and property, it has also caused home insurance Florida to skyrocket. The fact is that Florida has the highest number of hurricanes, cyclones and storms in all of the USA; during the years 2000-07 there were almost 60 hurricanes and cyclones, which totaled to about $64 billion worth of damage.

The fact is that most people are underinsured and sometimes do not have adequate protection against these natural disasters. Hurricane Katrina and the devastation that followed convinced many to re-evaluate their insurance policies and they are attempting to insure themselves against these disasters, particularly if they live in Florida or Kansas. Even though insurance rates have almost skyrocketed (mostly due to the increasing storms), getting adequate protection is still very important, as you could stand to lose a $150,000 house over not paying an extra $500.

Even if you are protected against hurricanes, it is important to note that most insurance policies do not offer protection against flood damage. This includes any flooding caused by a hurricane, as the policy will most likely only protect against wind damage. That is why it is important when selecting home insurance Florida to consider insuring yourself against floods by selecting the Fed’s National Home Insurance program or choosing another policy which provides this.

Read the fine print. Many insurance companies will quote an ‘All Perils’ coverage, which sounds rather impressive, but upon reading what is not covered, you may be very surprised to learn that very few disasters are actually given proper coverage. Landslides, earthquakes, subsidence and floods are typically omitted, and you will want to read over the details carefully BEFORE investing. The cost of this insurance depends mostly upon the size and value of your house, as well as the geographic nature of your area.

If you want to keep from paying too much, but want to still be fully insured, here are some tips. Research the area around your house. Mine subsidence is not a problem in Miami, although in other areas of Florida this may be a problem, which you will want to check into along with any other things such as sinkholes, Earthquake Fault lines, etc. Flood areas are marked by zones, low risk being ‘X’ or ‘C’ , and high risk areas marked with a ‘V’ or ‘A’. Even if the area you are in is prone to flooding and earthquakes, you can still reduce the cost of Home Insurance Florida by retrofitting your house and taking adequate safety measures.

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