[KGIII]

There's some strange rules around flood insurance. I don't have a mortgage but I do have pretty fancy insurance from a private insurance company. Flood insurance is mandatory, or at least mandatory per their policy.

They admit that there's pretty much zero chance that I'll flood, but they want me to be insured against it anyhow.

My elevation is 3800' and I'm pretty much on the top of a mountain. If it floods and impacts my house, there's not going to be anywhere to file an insurance claim. I'm not sure it's even physically possible for me to flood. I don't think the planet has enough water.

But, no... They want me to pay for flood insurance.

Yet, I lived very close to the water in Winston-Salem, NC and had minor flooding most every spring. My house was mortgaged there and flood insurance was mandatory.

The flood insurance was less than it is here. This house is worth more, but it's not going to flood. Blizzards, ice storms, and really strong winds are all probable. Flooding is damned near impossible. The snow cap could all melt at once and I could wash away, but I don't think that counts as a flood.

I don't get it.

[Retric]

A lot of what you might think of as storm damage is classified as flooding. Still, you may just want to shop around for a different private insurance without the flood policy requirement.

[KGIII]

Huh... I wonder why they'd classify it as flooding?

I suppose that, at least theoretically, my basement could get water in it from the snow melt, but that seems unlikely. There were drainage channels put in just in case. I only get 12' to 14' of snow per year.

The valleys flood. They flood every year. They are quite far below me. The difference between here and the top of the mountain is maybe 150' in elevation.

Hmm... I dunno? I do know this insurance group covers pretty much everything, which is nice. I have a couple of large events and guests that come during hunting season. So long as I'm not charging admission, they cover all that.

[Retric]

> why they'd classify it as flooding

As you mention water seeping into the basement is one common issue but even without that there are a few more.

EX: Someone sets up a garden with a small earthen wall. They get ~6 inches of rain which seems insane for the area which due to poor drainage pools behind the earthen wall until the weight of water bursts the wall. Followed by a wave of water causing surprising amounts to dammage.

The insurance adjuster then says sorry this was caused by standing water not wind / rain.

The important point is drainage issues are generally classified as flooding as are mud slides.