This is a good time of year to think about flood insurance

 It's early October, which for those of us in Western Washington means the rainy season is about to get started.

A North Carolina resident rescues a cat in the flooding
that resulted from Hurricane Florence.
Photo courtesy Associated Press

Most people do not have flood insurance. Washington state has 43,000 flood policies among individuals/homeowners. Western Washington isn't the only place where it's worth thinking about. Eastern Washington is also at risk for flood. Areas that have been struck by wildfires are subject to heavy water runoff due to the vegetation being gone. 

Consider North Carolina, which is currently recovering from Hurricane Florence. In a state with 10 million people, only 134,000 homes were covered by flood insurance. You can read more about what's happening there from Mike Causey, the insurance commissioner in that state.

Here are some facts you should know about flood insurance:

• Your homeowner policy does not cover floods, or any loss due to flooding. That includes mudslides and land movement that were caused by water.
• There's a 30-day waiting period for most new flood insurance policies to take effect.
• Many policies are sold through the National Flood Insurance Program, but there can be policies available outside of the federal government. Your agent or broker can give you more information.

Read more about flood insurance on our website. Questions? You can contact our consumer advocates online or call 1-800-562-6900.