But if you do not buy the policy now, that possibility vanishes. You will have to have water in your home for 90 days before you can collect any flood insurance money. Flood insurance makes sense in any case for people whose homes and businesses may be flooded, he pointed out.
Floods are likely in low-lying areas from storms, spring thaw, and various other causes.
People who buy flood insurance protect their buildings for several hundred dollars, and if they do so before November 30 they will have the added possibility of getting a payout before actual flooding occurs. Weiland advised all those who own a home or business within the eligible area to consider buying the insurance, particularly if there is any chance their building is at an elevation of 1460 feet or below. In fact, most owners have already purchased a policy. A total of 1,072 structures have been identified within the ASC, and as of mid-September 973 policies were in effect within the area. The first payments to four homeowners in the Devils Lake area under the new policy were approved Monday, November 22.