If your home or apartment was left damaged by the floods, it may be time to check your insurance policy.
Unfortunately, most insurance policies don’t cover flood damage, so many southeast Wisconsin residents may have to pay large out-of-pocket costs for repairs.
Here’s what to know about applying for flood insurance, filing a claim if your policy does cover flood damage and what to do if you’re uninsured:
Does home owners insurance typically cover water and flood damage?
It depends on your specific policy, but most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. You likely need a separate flood insurance policy, the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance notes.
Water damage that is “top down,” like from sprinklers or gutter issues, is usually covered but “bottom up” water damage usually isn’t, according to the OCI.
If you want to apply for flood insurance, you should reach out to your insurance agent. They might offer private flood insurance or a policy through the National Flood Insurance Program, which is managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The city of Milwaukee is among the communities that participate in the NFIP. Find a full list here of participating Wisconsin communities.
You can also reach out to FEMA at 1-800-427-4661 or online at floodsmart.gov for questions on the NFIP program.
Does renters insurance typically cover water and flood damage?
Standard renters insurance also does not cover flood damage, according to FEMA.
Like homeowners insurance, renters insurance typically only covers damage like theft, fire, falling objects, building collapse and the rupture of steam or hot water systems, the OCI says.
The NFIP provides flood insurance for renters in communities that participate in the program. Find more information about policy coverage and amounts here.
How to submit an insurance claim for flood damage
For policies that do cover flood damage, here are steps that the OIC says you can take to file a claim:
What to do if you don’t have flood insurance
If you don’t have flood insurance, you’ll likely have to pay out-of-pocket for repairs.
However, in the areas with declared disasters, residents can apply for loans and grants from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration. A disaster has not yet been declared in Wisconsin due to the floods, but continue to watch our coverage for updates on this front.
Additionally, here are some tips to safely clean out a flooded home.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Does home and rent insurance cover flood damage? What to know after Milwaukee floods
Reporting by Cailey Gleeson and Maia Pandey, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
