It may seem a little dry this week to be thinking about flood insurance. But, that may be the best time to get it done, before heavy rain. Many people don’t realize that flood insurance is not included with most homeowner insurance policies and must be purchased separately.

“Indiana has a wide range of flood risks, anywhere from coastal flooding along the Great Lakes to river flooding, to flash flooding like we’ve seen over the last month or so,” said James Sink, FEMA Regional Flood Insurance Liason for Indiana.

Indiana has more than 250 “high-hazard” dams, that may be in danger of failing, said data from FEMA. The site an Associated Press investigation that 65 of those dams have the potential to cause loss of life, should there be major flooding.

“Last year’s dam failures in Michigan show us that sometimes Mother Nature can throw us a curve ball and can overwhelm even the best built flood defenses<‘ said Sink. “There’s always residual risk anytime we have flood control infrastructure, whether it be a dam or a levy.”

He said the plan is to review your flood risk, not just for dam failure, but for everyday events like heavy rain.

He said the average claim from last year’s floods in Michigan was $66,000, and that just one inch of water in a house can cost you as much as $25,000, while some flood insurance policies can cost as little as $300 per year.

He said talk to your insurance agent about a flood insurance policy and also about a separate ryder for sump pump failure and sewer back-ups.

“It’s important to remember that in most cases there’s a 30-day waiting period for flood insurance,” said Sink. “So, it’s important that you purchase flood insurance early and that you renew your policy every year.”

A website for more info about flood insurance is www.FloodSmart.gov.