Yes, you.
More from my interview with legendary Philadelphia Weathercaster Glenn “Hurricane” Schwartz.
We talked about increased flooding in areas where many people may have thought they were safe from climate extremes.
“If you have ever come close to flooding – you’re going to flood,” he told me, “Plan on it.”
Sky high insurance rates that we might have thought would only apply in states like Florida, Texas, or California, are now happening in Schwartz’ neighborhood in Buck’s County, PA.
“My home insurance went up 30 percent,” he told me.
If the issue is flooding (rather than wind damage or tree falling on house), shouldn’t the focus be on the National Flood Insurance Program?
In Oztralia, insurance companies definition of ‘flooding’ is unique to their policies. Like rising water, that drowns ones house, is technically not a Flood. Many people have been surprised, trifle aggravated even, when their claims are rejected.
Per https://insurancecouncil.com.au/resource/flood-insurance-explained/
“The standard definition of flood in Australia is:
The covering of normally dry land by water that has escaped or been released from the normal confines of:
any lake, or any river, creek or other natural watercourse, whether or not altered or modified; or
any reservoir, canal, or dam.”
That sounds as if this one insanely heavy rain that had water gushing down the street that T’s into my neighbor’s house (it overshot the street drain) would not have been covered, because it wasn’t something like a creek breaking its banks.
What ever way it happens, be confident insurance companies will have their own amazing interpretation. Is that being cynical?
In the US private insurers don’t generally cover flood and it falls to the government-backed and deep in debt National Flood Insurance Program. (Property insurers do cover water damage from things like leaking water heaters or the many many many people who had their pipes burst in Texas’ Feb 2021 statewide deep freeze.)
Trouble finding words again. Really!