The recent tragic events in Japan have once again reiterated how important it is to have flood insurance along with your home insurance policy, and now is the time to get it. Fortunately for Japan, it is very much at the forefront of technology when it comes to having earthquake-reinforced buildings. However, no one could have predicted the extent of the damage that was caused not by the earthquake, but by the tsunami that immediately followed. This article will explore the reasons why you need to get flood insurance today, because time is of the essence.

First of all, your home insurance policy does not cover flood damage. Some people think that because their house has a water damage clause, this includes flood damage. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Another one of those facts that many people don’t realize is that there is a waiting period before your coverage starts if you wait until spring to buy. Come spring, there is a 30-day waiting period from the time payment is cleared until coverage actually begins. Another fact that many people don’t realize is that the National Flood Insurance Program is run by the government, which means that in the event of flood damage, you’re guaranteed to get reimbursed.

And even better, compared to other insurance policies, the cost is cheap. In some of the most expensive real estate markets, flood insurance is as cheap as $975 per year. Many people don’t realize that even an inch of flooding can cause $8,000 in damage. Some other benefits of flood insurance are that if you need to make a claim, you don’t have to worry about your premiums going up.

While office contents insurance may insure the contents and materials inside your business, business flood insurance will cover the same contents in the event a flood causes damage to a business. In Florida, people don’t have basements, but in regions of the United States where basements are regularly found, homeowners can purchase a basement insurance option for their flood insurance. This basement option can handle large and expensive utility items like washers and dryers, furnaces, and pumps.

Unfortunately, sometimes it takes a catastrophe in another country to motivate people here at home to take the important steps necessary to protect their home. Learning from another’s experience is called wisdom. The bottom line is that none of us knows what is going to happen. That’s why you need to take action today and purchase your flood insurance so you can begin the 30-day waiting period that occurs before coverage begins.