Are you flood-smart? It’s one thing to know how to deal with common household issues like burst pipes, drainage issues, and malfunctioning appliances. But it’s an entirely different issue when it comes to flooding caused by natural disasters.
Are You Ready for This?
Statistics from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) over a 20-year-period show that America faces threats of flooding on a nearly daily basis:
On average, at least one flooding event occurred every 8 out of 10 days.
In one year, all 50 states experienced flooding events,
so no matter where you are in America, you’re not immune.
Flooding can occur due to climate conditions like rapid snow melt, heavy rains, and storm surges/tides, as well as natural disasters, including hurricanes and tropical depressions.
The Joint Economic Committee states, “The total annual economic burden of flooding in the United States is between $179.8 and $496.0 billion.”
The Congressional Budget Office notes that “Flood damage is projected to be a quarter to a third greater in the next 25 years because of increases in flood risk due to climate change.”
Flood Zone Designations
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has defined geographic areas across America as to their level of flood risk:
| Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) | Non-Special Flood Hazard Areas (NSFHA) | Undetermined Risk |
|---|---|---|
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High Risk zones: A designated |
Moderate Risk zones: B and X designated |
Possible but undetermined: D designated zones |
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Coastal High Risk zones: V designated |
Low Risk zone: C and X designated |
N/A |
Find Your Flood Map
To assess your flood risk, visit the FEMA Flood Map Service Center, which provides official flood maps for the National Flood Insurance Program. The interactive map allows you to search by address so it’s easy to identify your flood risk.
When is Flooding Most Likely to Occur?
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), flooding can occur coast-to-coast year-round, while noting:
- Flash flooding can happen at any time of the year, but is most common from April to September, while peaking in July and August.
- River flooding occurs in late spring/early summer as snow melts; hurricanes and tropical storms may also cause river flooding.
How DomiDocs Can Help You Navigate Through a Disaster
The key to weathering any natural disaster is preparation—knowledge and organization are your best tools. As a homeowner, taking proactive steps to protect your family and property before disaster strikes is essential. The secure, award-winning DomiDocs Homeowner Enablement Platform® helps you stay prepared by allowing you to:
- Create a detailed home inventory – Upload receipts, photos, and videos documenting your home’s condition and contents to ensure an accurate record for insurance purposes.
- Store and manage essential insurance documents – Use the Insurance Bundle feature to securely organize policies, including company details, coverage, cost, and policy start and end dates. A calendar timeline provides quick reference, and with one click, you can share documents with your insurance agent when filing a claim.
- Prepare for and recover quickly from any disasters – Ensure quick and easy access to critical homeownership and insurance documents before and after a natural disaster. Use the Disaster Bundle to safely store everything from insurance policies and mortgage information to your home inventory list, photos & videos, and emergency vendors—allowing you to recover faster when you need it most.
- Stay ready for emergencies – Keep all your most important documents—such as IDs, medical records (including immunization records), financial statements, and emergency contacts—securely stored and instantly accessible. The Digital Go Bundle ensures you have everything you need in one place, whether you’re evacuating or managing post-disaster recovery.
- Follow expert homeowner guidance – Access the comprehensive DomiDocs New Homeowner Guide, which offers best practices to help prevent insurance claims and keep your home in top condition.
By leveraging these tools, you’ll have the critical information you need at your fingertips, making it easier to recover and rebuild after a disaster.
The Basics of Flood Preparedness:
| Before A Natural Disaster, Take The Time To: | ||
|---|---|---|
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Determine your personal flood risk. |
Do you know if you live in a flood-prone zone? You may have experienced some storm scenarios as a homeowner, but have you actually checked to see what your home’s risk is? Government websites, like FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center, help homeowners determine their flood risk. |
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Develop an evacuation plan. |
Every family member needs to know what your homeowner’s evacuation plan is. Where will you go? How will you get there? What optional evacuation routes will you have if your initial choice is blocked? Where will you stay? Knowing these basics in advance can help stem panic during an actual natural disaster situation. Prepare a to-go bag with essential supplies, including items for your pets. If you need assistance in traveling, you need to confirm with someone in advance. Always follow evacuation orders that have been issued. Plan as a family how you’ll support your neighbors during a natural disaster, such as checking in and aiding in evacuation.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests learning about your community’s warning signals, evacuation routes, and emergency shelter locations in advance. |
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Assemble disaster supplies for your family members and your pets. |
The American Red Cross recommends gathering 2 emergency supply kits:
NOAA recommends adding the following to round out your emergency disaster supply kits, where applicable:
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Review/update your homeowner insurance policy. Important Notes: |
It’s estimated that 40% of Americans can’t find an important household document when needed, so the first step is to upload your vital household documents to our user-friendly DomiDocs Homeowner Enablement Platform, so they’re easily accessible 24/7/365. Secondly, reassess your homeowner insurance policy to ensure you have the best coverage to fit your needs. Compare the cost and coverage you have in place, to what else is available from your current insurer and other companies. If there have been any major additions to your home and/or contents in the last year, it’s time to review your homeowner insurance policy to ensure it’ll cover your new additions. |
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Make your home disaster-resistant. |
Depending on where you live across America, insurance companies may reward your efforts in making your home disaster-resistant by offering discounted homeowner insurance premiums. This includes:
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Have supplies on hand to make emergency repairs. |
Such supplies can include plastic sheeting, tarps, sandbags, and/or plywood, plus the necessary tools to apply these to your home like a staple gun and/or duct tape. |
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Complete a written disaster plan. |
Now that you’ve got everything in place, there’s no better way to solidify it than by making a written plan, which should include regularly practicing your escape route, and maintaining your disaster prep plan supplies by replacing expired items. Ensure your plan includes a contact list, with at least one contact who lives outside the impacted area; share your disaster plan with family and friends. |
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Take the time to learn emergency life-saving skills. |
The American Red Cross recommends that adults and kids around the age of nine learn first aid and CPR skills. |
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| When Flooding is Heading Your Way, Ready.gov advises: |
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Seek shelter immediately. |
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If told to evacuate, evacuate immediately.
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Turn around, don’t drown! Don’t swim, drive, or walk through flood waters. Just 6 inches of moving water can knock you over, and 12 inches can sweep your vehicle away. |
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Do not drive on bridges over fast-moving water. Never drive around barricades. If your car is trapped in rapidly moving water, stay inside. If water is rising inside the vehicle, get on the roof. |
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Remove outdoor objects that could be picked up by high waters including trash cans and lawn furniture; anchor gas BBQs and propane tanks. Move your vehicles to a safe location. Secure all of your doors. |
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Move furniture and valuables to a safe place, like an attic or the top floor of your home. |
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Fuel your vehicles. |
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Double-check your emergency supplies including bottled water, battery-operated flashlights and a radio. |
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Monitor local news reports and emergency alerts; know that ‘A Watch’ warning means be prepared, while ‘A Warning’ means take action. |
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Proactively shut off your electricity, gas, and water utilities. The CDC suggests unplugging appliances to prevent electrical shock when power comes back on. |
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Seek safe shelter away from doors and windows, and move to higher ground if flooding occurs. Do NOT climb into a closed attic space in case you get trapped; instead, head to the roof. And if you’re not in your home, don’t return until officials say it’s safe. |
Navigating Insurance Claims: What Every Homeowner Should Know
When you’re facing the aftermath of a natural disaster, working with your insurance company is an inevitable part of the recovery process. DomiDocs® CEO and Founder, William McKenna advises homeowners to carefully review their insurance company’s initial settlement offer, as it may not fully cover all damages. Many experts recommend assessing the offer to ensure it aligns with your policy coverage.
What should you do? Access your personal profile on the DomiDocs® home management platform to easily submit your documented receipts, photos, and videos to your insurance adjuster with just one click. Before accepting a settlement, take the time to consider all potential losses, including missed wages, medical expenses (both current and future), vehicle repairs, and any other damages. Being thorough can help ensure you receive the full coverage you’re entitled to under your policy.
DomiDocs has your back! Whether it’s a hurricane, tornado, flood, or fire, the DomiDocs Resource Page: How To File An Insurance Claim is here to guide you through the claims and recovery process.
Take Control of Your Homeownership Journey with DomiDocs®
Managing your home shouldn’t be stressful. DomiDocs® empowers homeowners with innovative technology, expert guidance, and unparalleled organization—all within a secure, cloud-based platform. From protecting your property and finances to streamlining essential tasks, our tools help you save time, reduce expenses, mitigate costly risks, and maximize your home’s value.
Explore the DomiDocs suite of solutions:
- Homeowner Enablement Platform® – A centralized, digital hub for organizing documents, tracking home value, and managing property details effortlessly.
- HomeLock™ – Protects your home from fraud and title theft with 24/7 monitoring and instant alerts.
- TrueValueIndex® – Provides real-time insights into your home’s value to help you make informed financial decisions.
- propRtax® – Identifies potential property tax savings and ensures you’re not overpaying.
- Documenting for Disaster® – Securely stores critical homeownership documents, ensuring quick access before and after a disaster.
Join the home management revolution today and experience the confidence that comes with having everything you need in one place.
Author – Connie Motz
