Do I need Flood Insurance in Arizona?

We live in the desert Southwest and it doesn’t rain often.  When it does rain, it can really come down.

When recommend flood insurance to our clients in Arizona.  We often hear “why would we need flood insurance in Arizona, it never rains”.

That is partly true. Phoenix and Arizona is well known for the number of sunny days we enjoy.  This doesn’t mean Arizona Homeowners should not consider flood insurance.  We’ve had an active Monsoon Season here in Arizona in 2022 and it’s not over yet.  On September 8, 2014, the Metro Phoenix area received a historic rainfall, the wettest in it’s history.  Monsoon rains can blow in suddenly and the rain can come down very hard and overload the sewers and canals designed to carry it away.  Metro Phoenix and it’s neighbors- Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe, Gilbert, Chandler, Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, Anthem, Carefree, Cave Creek and Queen Creek are all part of the Valley of the Sun.  The mountains that surround the valley often drive the rain down their slopes and into our neighborhoods, streets and sewers. We often find the downpours are too much for our valley drainage systems and some neighborhoods experience flooding.  Occasionally, the flooding can be severe, as we have seen in 2014 and in 2022.

Now, the good and bad news…

Most home insurance policies DO NOT COVER FLOODING

The bad news is, most homeowners insurance policies DO NOT provide coverage for flooding.  The good news, flood insurance is available through Greene Insurance Group and the National Flood Insurance Program.  Flood insurance is not required in most areas of Metro Phoenix, however if you live in one of Maricopa Counties designated flood plains and are financing your home with a mortgage, your mortgage company will likely require flood insurance.