Idaho agency asks Boise residents to consider buying flood insurance following storms

Ever thought about buying flood insurance, Boise? The Idaho Department of Insurance thinks you should consider it.

The flash thunderstorm that formed above Boise last week — one of many storms over the past 10 days — brought a torrent of rain that flooded the streets with water and overwhelmed the city’s drainage system.

The localized storm dumped 1.47 inches of rain in parts of downtown and 1.77 inches in the North End in less than 90 minutes, according to reporting by the Idaho Statesman. In some places, the flooding was over a foot deep.

Some residents enjoyed the rare event by tubing the floodwaters in front of the Boise Co-op Market.

But at Boise City Hall, and in other locations throughout the city, the storm led to a number of problems, including halting a City Council meeting because the rain was too loud and causing water to seep into the building.

The Idaho Department of Insurance issued a consumer alert Friday urging home and business owners to evaluate their flood risk and perhaps buy a flood insurance policy. According to the alert, a typical homeowners insurance policy does not cover damage caused by flooding.

Data from the National Flood Insurance Program shows there are about 5,600 flood insurance policies in effect across the state.

“Just one inch of water can easily cause $25,000 of damage to your home,” Dean Cameron, the department’s director, said in a news release. “With flood insurance, you’ll be protected in the event of flood damage — whether it’s an inch of water or a major weather event. I strongly advise Idahoans to take steps to safeguard your property.”

The news release warned that flood insurance policies usually involve a 30-day waiting period to take effect. It’s not something that can be purchased at the last minute.

The Idaho Department of Insurance said flood insurance can be bought from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for less than $400 a year.

But flooding problems similar to what Boise experienced last week are few and far between, so it’s up to individual Idahoans to determine their risk.

Part of the reason the flooding was so heavy in Boise is that the city’s street drains weren’t built to handle that much water, according to Lloyd Carnegie, maintenance manager for the Ada County Highway District.

The city has “100-year storm” drains that are designed to handle 99% of storms that occur each year, he told the Statesman.

Last Tuesday’s storm, however, was more intense than the theoretical 100-year storm. The highway district could implement a larger drainage system, but it’s unlikely since Boise rarely sees so much rain all at once.

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