While it is still plenty cold outside right now, it’s never too early to start thinking about flood insurance.
We spoke with Manitowoc County Emergency Services Director Travis Waack, who explained why it is important to start looking into it now.
“Flood insurance generally has a 30-day waiting period for it to become effective,” Waack explained. “So, when you start to look at the Spring flooding potential in mid-March when the ice jams tend to happen, you need to get those policies now, so they are in effect for spring flooding.”
Over the past few years, many low-lying areas in Manitowoc County have been hit hard by floods, with some homes receiving significant damage.
Waack also said the insurance is important because a little bit of water can cause a lot of damage.
“Just an inch of water in your house can cause $25,000+ in damage,” Waack said. “It’s easy to get. You can talk to your insurance agent, you can also go online to FloodSmart.gov. Put in your zip code there, and there is a whole directory of places you can get flood insurance.”
Waack has seen lots of flood-damaged homes throughout his career working for the County and the Red Cross before that, and he said it can be devastating.
