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Flood Insurance for Georgetown County Area Homeowners
The coast of South Carolina and North Carolina regularly receive damaging weather such as hurricanes, flash flooding, and torrential downpours. According to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, such storms have caused more than $7 billion in damages over the past 12 years. If you’re asking yourself, do I need flood insurance? As a homeowner, are you prepared to shoulder the burden of the high costs associated with flooding? Just one inch of water throughout your home causes an average of $25,000 in damage.
At Lowcountry Insurance, we have more than 30 years of experience providing South Carolina homeowners and business owners with competent, competitive and caring insurance services, including flood insurance.
Homeowners Insurance and Flood Insurance Policies
Your homeowners insurance policy most likely excludes coverage for damage resulting from flooding. So if you own a home, then you’ll need to add an additional flood insurance policy. This policy can cover:
- Flood preparation costs
- Damage to your home
- Damaged appliances
- Damaged goods, clothes and other belongings
- Flood cleanup costs
Without flood insurance, you’d be left covering these expenses out of pocket.
Flood Insurance for Homeowners vs. Renters vs. Condo Owners
Do renters need flood insurance? What about flood insurance for condos? Flood policies come with two separate types of coverage: building coverage and contents coverage. If you own your home, then you need building coverage to pay for flood damage to the dwelling. You also need contents coverage to pay for damage done to the items inside your home. As a renter, all you need is contents coverage, as you are likely not liable for costs associated with the dwelling itself.
For condo owners, the necessary coverage is not always clear. Many condo owners find they need both contents and building coverage, while others need contents-only coverage. In these situations, it is best to speak with an agent who can help you identify your risks before you purchase your policy. As locals to the Pawleys Island area, the independent agents at Lowcountry Insurance are familiar with reading condominium bylaws and covenants to advise you on your risk.
Common Misconceptions About Flood Insurance and Federal Aid
If you don’t believe that your home needs flood insurance, we encourage you to reconsider. Even homes whose FEMA flood risk-level changed recently should still consider flood insurance, as flood maps can change—and much of Georgetown County is in a flood zone. Even mild flooding that leads to only an inch of water in your home can lead to tens of thousands of dollars in damage—and federal disaster aid is limited and must be repaid.
The National Flood Insurance Program and FEMA Flood Maps
Most flood insurance policies are underwritten by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Congress created the NFIP in 1968 with two goals in mind: to provide affordable flood insurance to homeowners and to create a sound floodplain management system. Today, you can purchase your flood insurance through the NFIP or through a private flood insurance market. Both options can be provided by a licensed insurance agent, such as Lowcountry Insurance.
Many Georgetown County residents received notice from their mortgage companies in 2021 that their homes were no longer required to have flood insurance due to a change in FEMA flood maps. But this is very misleading: coastal communities of Georgetown, Pawleys Island, Murrells Inlet, Surfside Beach, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Little River, and beyond have a high chance of coastal flooding. Every resident should protect their homes with flood insurance.
Contact Lowcountry Insurance for More Information
Whether you are looking for your first flood insurance policy or you have questions about changes to your policy under the Biggert-Waters Reform Act of 2012 or FEMA’s 2021 flood map update, please reach out to our agents. We are happy to provide you with a free flood insurance review and talk to you about ways you can make the cost of flood insurance coverage more affordable.
Request More Info
You may also call (843) 237-1353 to speak to an agent. Requesting a quote is not a guarantee of coverage. All coverages are subject to the terms, conditions, and exclusions of the actual policy issues. Not all policies or coverages are available in every state.
