It’s fair to say after the heavy rain of the atmospheric river that hit California, with more to come as of this writing, many are thinking about flood insurance.
Special flood zones are sometimes missed in listings, so when a buyer enters into a contract, one of the first things I tell them (often before submitting the offer) is to check with their insurance carrier on a quote. This is the right time to find out the cost of insurance, if the property will need flood insurance, and if flood insurance is available.
The Natural Hazard Disclosure (NHD) does identify flood zones, but double-checking with your insurance carrier is a step worth taking.
Even if the property is not in a flood zone per se, in areas with high water tables, flooding can still be excluded by standard home insurance. Consult with your insurance professional and consider flood insurance. Alameda in particular faces a high water table and sandy soil that can be overwhelmed by storms bringing in water.
Stay safe and dry everyone, but don’t forget when this year’s storms have blown past, revisit your insurance policies for the coming years.