Another article in the “Floods and Flood Insurance” Series…
Storm surge is a threat to any coastal areas, which are often less than 10 feet above sea level. The “surge” is water that is pushed ashore by the force of a storm. The combination of a tropical storm or a hurricane, along with high tides, can bring a wall of water up to 20 feet high.
In Tampa, the South Tampa peninsula, surrounded by Hillsborough Bay and Tampa Bay, has flooded in low-lying areas during recent 
Tropical Storms and Hurricanes. Those areas are in designated flood zones, where lenders require a homeowner to purchase flood insurance.
Many neighborhoods in South Tampa are in flood zones, B or C, which are “lower risk” for flood insurance requirements and many homeowners do not carry flood insurance, and, more importantly, many of them do not evacuate when a storm is brewing in the Gulf.
Several years ago, a professor at USF, did a special report for TBO.com about the “worst case scenario” . Watch the interactive video about a simulated Storm Surge through downtown Tampa.
Should a 20 foot storm surge come ashore in Tampa, the entire South Tampa area would be under water. Many of those homeowners would not be insured, because flood insurance was not “required”, though the cost of the policy would be reasonable compared to higher-risk areas.
Call your insurance agent today and add a Flood Insurance Policy to insure your most precious possessions.
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