A hot topic amongst Naples homes owners at the moment is Flood Insurance! Everyone I have talked to recently seems to be under pressure from their insurance companies, ever since the last large hurricane to hit Naples, namely Wilma, after which many insurance companies had to pay out a lot of money. It seems that the insurance companies are making it difficult, especially for those of us that live out in Golden Gate Estates, Naples to get insurance at a reasonable price. I myself have had to change my insurance company over the last year, and now, I have just been informed that after living here for five years, happy in the knowledge that I live on a piece of land that is high and dry, (a fact proved by having no standing water on my property at any time even after, hurricanes and huge tropical downpours), that I live in a flood zone! so I need flood insurance! The Flood zone maps for Naples were updated on 03/08/2012. There are various zones that apply to areas which outline exactly what type of a flood zone your property may be in. If like me you are in a flood zone, but, your home is actually higher than other homes in the same area, you can appeal, and have an elevation survey done on your home, and if it passes you then get an Elevation Certificate which proves that you live in a home that is high and dry. If you want to find out if you need flood insurance, you can go to Naples official website where you will find all the information you need, you can also view the new flood zone maps. If you feel that your home should not be in a flood zone, then make inquiries to see if you can have an elevation evaluation done.
With all that said, flooding can be a major problem and occur anywhere, even if you live outside of a flood zone, it may be that your home is subject to flooding, so I would seriously consider getting flood insurance if you feel your home may be at any risk. Homeowners insurance may cover wind and fire damage, but very rarely does it automatically include flood insurance, flooding can cause a huge amount of damage, so it is important to make your decisions on whether or not to purchase flood insurance based on your individual situation. There is some really useful information on the links below.
By Joe Epifanio
