Carson City, NV May 07, 2019
The heavy snowpack on the northern Nevada mountains, mixed
with warmer days and recent rain in Las Vegas that caused flash flooding in
some areas, are all reminders of flood dangers.
Consumers are encouraged every year to act before disaster
strikes and review their homeowner or renter’s insurance policies to determine
if they need to purchase flood insurance coverage as homeowner or renters
polices do not include coverage from flood damage.
“Flood insurance is one of those products that cannot be
purchased while a disaster is occurring or about to occur,” said Insurance
Commissioner Barbara Richardson. “A big caveat for flood insurance is that
there is a 30-day waiting period before the policy becomes effective, that is
why it is important to be proactive now.”
Flood insurance is more available to consumers than ever
before because in Nevada, consumers now can purchase coverage for damage from
flood via private flood insurance or via a flood insurance policy issued by the
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) administered by FEMA: www.Floodsmart.gov. For questions about
how to buy such a policy, consumers can reach out to their insurance agent who
may guide them through the process.
For more information consumers are encouraged to read the
Division’s flood, home and earthquake insurance guides by visiting the Division
of Insurance website at www.doi.nv.gov.
Page 10 of the Flood Guide provides a general comparison of what is
covered and what is not covered for water-related damage in a standard home
insurance policy and a flood insurance policy. For residents in Clark County,
the Regional Flood Control District is an additional source of information as
it educates the public about the dangers of flash flooding. Please visit http://www.ccrfcd.org/ for more information.
About the Nevada Division of Insurance
The State of Nevada Division of Insurance, a Division of the
Nevada Department of Business and Industry, protects the rights of Nevada
consumers and regulates Nevada’s $14 billion insurance industry. The Division
of Insurance has offices in Carson City and Las Vegas. In 2018, the Division investigated more than 3,100 consumer
complaints and recovered over $8.4 million on behalf of consumers. For more
information about the Division of Insurance, visit DOI.NV.GOV.