I’m always a little surprised–and saddened–that so many homeowners don’t realize that standard home insurance policies almost always exclude damage from floods. If you’re at risk from a flood, you absolutely have to buy a flood insurance policy to make sure you’re protected.

Here are some additional tips and information from FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program. Also, you can learn more about flood safety and flood insurance at www.floodsmart.gov.

1) Homeowners without flood insurance policies generally have to pay for all repair costs out of pocket. The average claim is $28,000.

2) Flood insurance is required if you live in a Special Flood Hazard Area and have a Federally backed mortgage.

3) If you live in an SFHA you have a 26 percent chance of flooding within the 30-year life of your mortgage – more than twice the chance you’ll experience a fire.

4) Flooding can happen to anyone – about 25 percent of all claims come from moderate-to-low risk communities.

5) Policies take 30 days to go into effect – so it’s a mistake to wait until you’re facing a significant threat like a hurricane.

6) Flood insurance is affordable – the average annual cost of a policy is $579, and you can get a policy for as low as $119 in many areas.