Flood Insurance

[RobJ]

If you go to Floodsmart.gov: Your premier resource for flood insurance information, you'll probably find the explanation. Flood insurance is only available if your "community"; i.e. city, county, etc. wishes to participate, so you have to contact your local elected officials if you want your community to participate. That website should explain what has to be done to join the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

And at least I recall the goverment is the backer, but it's sold through the local agents. WE live on the north side of the cypress creek, maybe a 1/4 mile. The south side is the flooding side so we don't have flood insurance. Some do. Might be a gamble but I looked at all the maps and made the call.

There are some people that live ON the San Jacinto river. Buy insurance, get flooded, rebuild, get flooded. A lady that use to work here got their home build on stilts washed away. After the water dropped they found it half mile down the river in some trees, stuff still in the drawers. The Gov finally said no more insurance and offered buyouts to the folks there. Some took the offer, some didn't. I thought they banned building down there but I guess not. My wife has some relatives near there and we drove down there. Couple really HUGE homes up on stilts, not the normal beachhouse looking thing. These are river/water people and are willing to risk it. The river opens up into Lake Houston so you have direct access.

 

[Bird]

I recall the goverment is the backer, but it's sold through the local agents

Yes, and the rates are the same no matter which agent or company you use. And apparently their commission isn't very big, so I think most of them would rather not mess with it. I know before I learned much about it, I sent e-mails to 4 different agents about flood insurance and only one even bothered to respond. And my homeowners insurance agent failed to call back the first time I asked about flood insurance, but they finally did it.