As damaging storms offer little relief for Central Indiana residents, the Insurance Institute of Indiana reminds consumers to check for damage and know their insurance policies.

Insurance companies have been actively assisting consumers with claims initiated by severe storms on May 30 and followed by periodic severe weather events during the week following.

“The storms affecting Indiana within the past week have resulted in a destructive combination of weather events,” said Steve Williams, Insurance Institute of Indiana president. “There are several actions consumers can take to protect themselves and their property.”

Floods are the most common natural disasters, causing about $1 billion in property damage annually. While traditional homeowners policies cover losses due to typical storm damage, flood insurance is excluded under standard homeowners and renters policies.

Flood insurance, which is available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Flood Insurance Program, covers direct physical losses by flood and losses resulting from flood-related erosion caused by waves or currents of water that exceed anticipated cyclical levels and accompany a severe storm or flash flood, such as that experienced over the weekend. If you live in a flood-prone area, contact your insurance agent for information about obtaining flood insurance.

Damage to a vehicle as a result of flood is quite different from homeowners and renters policies. If a policyholder has comprehensive coverage on their auto insurance, the insured’s vehicle is covered for a loss caused by flooding.

Sewer backups are also common with heavy rains; however, damage from sewer backups is not included in standard homeowners policies. This type of insurance can be obtained by adding an insurance rider to add to your policy. Nevertheless, if the sewer backup is caused by a flood and is defined as surface water, it would be necessary to have flood insurance for your home to cover the damage.

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Source: Insurance Institute of Indiana

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