.jpg)
California’s Department of Insurance will be assisting locals who have been affected by the flooding of the Russian River last week.
The agency has sent several of its staff members to the Guerneville area to answer homeowners’ questions about flood insurance following a three-day storm that left thousands of properties flooded.
NBC Bay Area reported that about 2,600 properties were flooded in Sonoma County due to the storm event.
Ricardo Lara, the state’s insurance commissioner, said that many residents are unaware that their homeowners’ insurance does not cover flood or mudslide damage. Lara added that he hopes more homeowners will purchase actual flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
“We want to make sure people have the coverage they need before the next storm puts their home at risk. Having flood insurance may be the difference between recovering quickly from a catastrophic event or suffering devastation losses,” the commissioner said.
The insurance department’s staff has set up a local assistance center in Guerneville at 16390 Main St. Residents can either visit the center for answers to their insurance questions or could call (800) 927-4357.
