Georgia regularly faces many types of natural disasters including hurricanes, tornadoes, severe storms, wildfires and floods. Floods cause Atlanteans $13M a year, on average. Your flood risk varies by depth, neighborhood, construction and other factors but as the environment and weather patterns change, flood risks will increase. Approximately 14,367 properties are already at risk. Deeper floods from major events, like hurricanes, are less likely to occur, but cause greater damage than more shallow flood events, like heavy rains.
According to Georgiafloodinsurance.org, floods can happen anywhere in Georgia and not just along the coast. Tidal floods along the coast are often just a foot or two deep, but they can halt traffic, swamp basements, destroy cars, kill lawns, farms, and forests, and poison wells with salt. In the coming decades, Georgia will become warmer, and the state will most likely experience more severe floods.
Because of global warming, the only road to Tybee Island, Georgia is disappearing beneath the sea several times a year, cutting the town off from the mainland. You don’t have to live in a high-risk zone to be affected by a flood. Just a few inches of floodwater is more than enough water to destroy floors, walls, and other possessions – costing you thousands in replacement costs if you don’t have flood insurance. Your normal home insurance policy covers many emergencies but it will not cover damage due to flood waters.
Hurricanes are the most dramatic weather event here. The main threats to the metropolitan Atlanta area are the resulting heavy rain, strong winds, possible flooding and power outages. A less newsworthy but more common type of natural disaster in Georgia is thunderstorms, the leading cause of floods. And when you live in the city, urban areas are at higher risk for floods because rooftops funnel rainfall to the ground below, and paved surfaces such as highways and parking lots prevent the ground from absorbing the rain.
Flood insurance must be purchased from a regular insurance agent through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Regular homeowner’s insurance does not cover damages caused by flooding. It is important to note that there are different types of flood insurance. For example, some policies cover only the structure while other policies also include content. Your insurance agent will be able to explain the differences.
If you would like to better understand the recommended flood risk designation of your property (high, moderate, low risk) assigned by the NFIP, access your flood maps on FEMA.gov. Be sure to note the map file date; many maps are outdated.
Residents are encouraged to plan accordingly by Atlantaga.gov:
The Serenity team specializes in analyzing and cleaning properties that have been impacted by water, fire, smoke, mold, and pathogens in the greater Atlanta area. We respond to flood emergencies 24/7 to keep you and your property safe. Serenity Restoration works with all the major insurers. If it’s not an insurance claim, we’ll work with you on the bill. If it’s not great enough to warrant a full-blown remediation project, they can rent you the equipment for less than that of the major equipment rental groups.
If this is an emergency, please call 678-648-1294 for 24/7 service.
