What to do if you Don’t have Flood Insurance and have Damage in Nashville?

Many of the folks suffering the most damage and anguish from our Nashville Flood did not have flood insurance. In Many cases the Federal Emergency Management Administration ( FEMA) had not acknowledged that their homes were in a flood plain.  Often these flood plains are identified as being a 50 year , 100 year or even 500 year flood plain.  This of course means that the odds are that a flood could occur once in 50 years, 100 years or 500 years.

However; the Army Corps of Engineers has already designated the Nashville Flood as being a “once in 1,000 year event!”.

So how could home owners have known?

Add to this that flood insurance is ONLY available to those who live i designated flood plains and you get the idea.  Nashville homeowners were in the dark.

So what do you do if you didn’t have insurance but you have flood damage?

First: Don’t lose heart. The Federal Government will be designating Nashville as disaster area soon.  When that happens, federal funds will be made available to homeowners on a case by case basis.  Usually this will be in the form of low cost, low interest loans to help repair the damage.

Second: Document everything! Take pictures, write it all down. You may need this information to qualify.  Make a video and store it in a safe place.

Third: Keep any and all receipts! Home depot, Veterinarian bills, food, anything and everything. If it’s money you’re spending because of the damage to your home, you must have a record of it.

Fourth:  Watch the FEMA website at http://www.fema.gov/.  You will be able to apply there on line for disaster assistance. here is their other contact information.

 If you have anyspecial questions, call Jim at 615-347-4424.

We’re here to help.