As a homeowner in Grapevine, you don't want the following situation to happen. You notice water on the floor. It's an unexpected amount of water. Not the type of puddle that you immediately can pin on little Timmy when he decided to wash his hands in a hurry. No, this particular water you see before you gives you a pit in your stomach.
Then it hits you. The water is coming from outside of your home. Maybe a roof or window is compromised from a storm. Maybe it is due to rising water coming through the door or another opening. Either scenario is awful. We'll take a look at both.
A storm containing large wind and/or hail which pounds your come can compromise the structure. Texas hail stones can pack a punch heavy enough to breech shingle, underlay and the decking beneath to make Swiss cheese out of your roof.
Winds can gust strong enough to send the limb of a Bradford Pear tree hurtling into your home.
Those damages are covered by your homeowners policies. Any related water damage should also be covered (though you will have to pay wind and hail deductible) making a bad situation better with that good news.
You should do your best to prevent further damage by using a tarp to cover any exposed hole, buckets, whatever it takes to keep the damage from piling up.
Texas is also know to whip up a flash flood when rain rushes in fast and heavy. The Hill Country gets the brunt of this, but we also see it in other parts of the state as construction booms.
The mix of poured concrete in a large area combined with changing drainage patterns for run-off can present a scenario nobody is prepared for.
A homeowners policy won't protect in the case of water rising from floodwaters. There is one way to protect your home from water that rises and pushes its way into your home and this is with a flood insurance policy.
Your home, just like everyone in Texas, has a letter designating the category of flood risk. Most homes fall into the Zone X category, making flood insurance very inexpensive to obtain because it is less risky. Federal programs and private insurance carriers provide this type of coverage and it will protect your contents in case of flood.
If you home is designated with a more risky category, say Zone AE, you'll be required by your home loan lender to carry this insurance according to your mortgage agreement.
Higher risk means you may be able to find better pricing on the private market to gain cost-effective coverage beyond what the Federal plan would do for you.
Your concerns about water coverage are valid. Texas is a unique state and stuff happens around here. Fortunately, as an independent insurance agent, we're able to help find coverage that will protect you regardless of the situation Texas throws at you.