March Key Message: You need flood insurance

Tulsa Partners is working with the City of Tulsa Program for Public Information to send out monthly key messages to enhance how the PPI operates and educates the public on disaster resilience. Please share this message through your social media outlets, and let us know at tulsapartners@gmail.com if you do.

This month’s message: You need flood insurance

Tulsa has a long history of flooding. Although it has been many years since Tulsa has experienced a major flood disaster, the dangers of another flood or severe weather event should not be ignored. Unfortunately, most homeowners insurance does not cover damage from floods. You can protect your home and the contents of your home with flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), if your home is located in a high-risk flood zone, there is a 26 percent chance it will flood during the life of a 30-year mortgage.

City of Tulsa residents receive a 40 percent discount on flood insurance rates for homes located in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) and a 10 percent discount for other properties. You should obtain flood insurance coverage for both the structure and contents as flooding can cause more damage to the contents than the structure. Renters can buy contents coverage even if the property owner does not insure the structure. There is a 30-day waiting period before the policy becomes effective. The City of Tulsa has staff available to help you better understand the potential impacts of flooding to your home, can help you interpret detailed floodplain maps and explain the flood insurance and development requirements. To find out if your property is located in the floodplain, contact the City’s Customer Care Center at (918) 596-2100 with the address or legal description of your property and a free flood zone determination will be sent to you. To learn more about flood insurance, contact Bill Robison, Floodplain Engineer or Laura Hendrix, Floodplain Administrator through the City’s Customer Care Center at (918) 596-2100. You can also visit the following websites for more information on flood related topics:

Learn about your risk of flooding at: www.floodsmart.gov. For flood insurance information, visit: www.fema.gov/national-flood-insuranceprogram and http://www.fema.gov Research Tulsa’s flood-prone areas and flood maps online at: https://www.cityoftulsa.org/government/departments/engineering-services/floodcontrol/floodplain-map-atlas/ Flood preparedness and safety tips are available at: www.floodsafety.noaa.gov, www.fema.gov, https://www.cityoftulsa.org/government /departments/engineering-services/flood-control/