Rising waters in Houston stress the need for flood insurance

As of Tuesday afternoon, at least 1,000 homes had flooded in Harris County and six fatalities were reported in one of the most devastating natural disasters in the area. While it's certainly a time to reflect on one's own safety and the safety of their loved ones, it's also important to know how to protect your clients in a similar event in the future. Because Houston homeowners’ insurance policies typically do not cover floods those not required to obtain flood insurance may be in a stressful situation, wishing they would have obtained coverage. Oftentimes, real estate agents can play a vital roll in a homeowner's decision to obtain flood insurance -- even if they live within a low-risk zone. It is recommended by numerous outlets that all agents encourage homeowners or recent homebuyers to obtain flood insurance via the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a federal program that allows flood coverage to be purchased through a number of insurance companies. Home...