Since it would be impossible to live in both places 80 percent of the time, you will have to make some choices. Both homes would have to be covered this way if you don't spend at least 80 percent of your time in either of them. As a matter of fact, hurricane coverage is being dropped from the standard homeowners policy. Southern states, such as South Carolina and North Carolina, have set up pools of funds from which residents buy policies to protect their homes against wind loss. These policies cover wind damage, but insurers balk at paying water damage.
Insurers check to see how high the water rose.
Damage at and below the waterline is deemed flood damage. A pre-FIRM building is one that existed before the date that the community started participating in the NFIP and before a Flood Insurance Rate Map was created for the area. Newly constructed buildings, however, are built according to flood management specifications. The more controversial grandfathering involves zone changes that occur after a community joins the program. The plan was scheduled to be phased out, but it's on hold until further notice.