If April Showers Bring May Flowers, What Do Winter Snows Have in Store for Kansas Homeowners?

If April Showers Bring May Flowers, What Do Winter Snows Have in Store for Kansas Homeowners?

How much longer will it be before you find Jack Frost in your basement?

Spring is in the air. The birds are singing, the flowers are growing, the snow is melting and basements are flooding. Just another day in paradise for Kansas homeowners.

“The Wizard of Oz” might have given the uneducated consumer the impression that the worst thing Kansas homeowners had to worry about was waking up after getting conked in the head to discover your house had landed on an unsuspecting passerby who was sure to press charges. What they don’t tell you is that when spring rolls around you’re far more likely to be able to go fishing in your basement than flying in your attic. Why?

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

The Kansas Insurance Department recently hit the newswires with a warning to

According to the Department of Meteorology at the University of Utah, Topeka, KS sees an average of 21-24 inches (approximately 2 feet) of snowfall every year. Heavy snows this year have placed residential homes at risk for flood damage.

every property owner in the state-with the weather warming up, it’s not going to be long before Frosty the Snowman turns into Frosty the mud puddle and finds his way into your basement. All that snow has to go somewhere, and Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger warns that somewhere probably isn’t going to be the local swimming hole.

“Damage from a flood is not covered under a standard homeowner’s policy,” the Commissioner continued. “We at the Kansas Insurance Department suggest all homeowners and renters review their flood insurance needs.”

Since flood damage isn’t a part of most standard homeowners insurance policies it’s up to Kansas homeowners to make sure it’s a part of theirs. In low risk areas that aren’t virtually guaranteed to see flooding every spring and summer (and winter and fall) flood insurance usually adds less than $500 a year onto most homeowners insurance premiums. Most private insurance companies are happy to extend you the extra coverage as long as they’re fairly certain they’re not going to have to pay out claims on a regular basis.

Most flood insurance policies don’t go into effect until 30 days after you buy the policy (to make sure they at least get their first month’s premiums before they’re paying out a claim) so if your home isn’t covered it would be wise to get the ball rolling on your policy before Indian summer decides to make an appearance. General questions about flood insurance can be directed to the Insurance Department’s Consumer Assistance Hotline at (800) 432-2484.

Homes in high risk areas, on the other hand, may find that their best option lies in obtaining emergency flood insurance through FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program.

“Although the Kansas Insurance Department is happy to answer questions about flood insurance through our Consumer Assistance Hotline, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) continues to be a federal program administered through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),” stated Commissioner Praeger in a recent press release.

If you’re a Kansas resident looking for flood insurance before the beautiful hints of spring turn into beautiful rainbow colors of mold in your basement, the Kansas Insurance Department recommends that you send your questions to Dean Ownby, NFIP Insurance Specialist for FEMA in Kansas City. Dean Ownby can be reached at (816) 283-7045 by phone or via email at dean.ownby@dhs.gov.

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