Is Your Flood Insurance Ending?

I returned to work today from a long family vacation.  During the course of our journeys we had the opportunity to drive on Highway 2 near Nebraska City, where one lane of the road was underwater due to flooding of the Missouri river.  We later had to detour because on highway 136 near Alexandria, Missouri, because the the road leading Keokuk, and  a bridge over the Mississippi river, was under water.  While these areas are prone to flooding and it makes obvious sense to buy flood insurance, other places aren't so obvious, yet FEMA, with flood mapping help from the US Army Corps of Engineers and others, places many housing tracts in 100 year flood plains, thus requiring homeowners with mortgages to purchase flood insurance.  Wise property owners with buildings in flood plains will purchase this same insurance whether or not they have a mortgage.
I witnessed the destruction of flooding earlier this year when a flood hit my hometown of Genesee, ID in January 2010 due to frozen ground, melting snow, and heavy rains.  If you think a flood can't happen to you, think again.

One of the brokers that I utilize recently sent me an e-mail stating that State Farm Mutual has announced that effective October 1, 2010 they are getting out of the National Flood Insurance Program business.  This means that hundreds of thousands of insureds will need to find a new company for their flood insurance.  Do you have flood insurance with State Farm Mutual?  If so, please allow me to serve you and place your flood insurance with one of our flood insurance companies.

How do you do this?  Give me a call at my Clarkston, WA office; (509) 758-5529 or e-mail me.  I will ask you for a copy of your declarations page, the year the home or building was constructed, and its replacement cost value.

It really is that simple.  I look forward to serving you!

EVALUATE YOUR HOME'S NEED FOR A LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM

A lightning protection system is designed to control or redirect a lightning strike to a specified path. The system does not prevent a strike, but provides a path on which the electrical current can safely be redirected to the ground. Its objective is to prevent destruction or injury as the lightning travels that route. According to the Lightning Protection Institute (LPI), the system is composed of several key components, including the following.

• Lightning rods -- inconspicuous slender rods installed on the roof at industry-specified intervals.


• Conductors -- aluminum or copper cables that interconnect the lightning rods and the other parts of the system.


• Ground terminations -- metal rods driven into the earth to redirect the lightning current harmlessly to the ground.


• Surge arrestors and suppressors -- devices installed in conjunction with a lightning protection system to safeguard electrical wiring and electronic systems and equipment.

So is a lightning protection system a wise purchase for your home? Most lightning experts recommend that individuals owning homes with several of the following characteristics or features should purchase a lightning protection system.

• Previously has been struck by lightning


• Located in a neighborhood which has experienced lightning damage


• Located in a community or city that has experienced over 25 thunderstorm days a year


• Located in an isolated and open area, or on a hill


• Has aluminum siding


• Has a brick, stone, or metal chimney


• Has a high or large satellite dish


• Has a metal or wood roof


• Has tall trees overhanging the roof


• Lacks surge protection on the electrical panel or on incoming phone lines

Lightning protection systems should meet the code established by Underwriters Laboratories and the LPI. Note that some insurers provide premium credits for homes with these types of certified systems.
For an average size home, the cost for this system ranges from $2,000 to $3,000.