In the wake of the tropical depression Imelda in Texas, in which hundreds have needed rescue, at least two are dead. Some communities in Texas have experienced up to three feet of rain, and unfortunately, many of the areas being flooded have only begun to recover from 2017’s Hurricane Harvey.

Dangerous natural disasters like severe floods and fires are what scientists say are clear markers of global warming. And according to Craig Fugate, who ran the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under President Barack Obama, flooding may be one of our greatest risks.

“Flooding is the biggest disaster we’re facing across the country,” Fugate told Rolling Stone. It is not necessarily the wind that is the main danger of a hurricane, even: “The water does the most damage, kills the most people,” Fugate said.

In his interview with Rolling Stone, Fugate emphasized the importance of flood and hurricane insurance—even for those who are not in an area that typically experiences flooding.

“I don’t care how many times you’ve been told that you’re not in the flood zone—you still need to have flood insurance,” said Fugate. “And if you don’t have flood insurance, your homeowners policy won’t pay, your mortgage won’t go away, and the FEMA assistance is limited—and it’s probably not going to cover the repairs that will be required even to make it so you can get back to your home.”

A recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said that extreme sea-level-related events are likely to occur every year on the coasts by 2050—the likes of which used to only occur once a century, according to The Guardian.

Even for those who are certain that flooding problems will have no effect on them, perhaps because they live far away from the coast, may still see flooding caused by rain from storms.

“The two clearest signals we’re seeing in the climate assessment is the extreme rainfall event and the high temperatures, droughts and wildfires. Nowhere in the U.S. right now doesn’t have this risk in the future. It’s just hard to say when it will occur, but when it does occur, most communities aren’t prepared for feet of water.”

Filing a Flood and Hurricane Insurance Claim

After a disaster like a hurricane, it can feel overwhelming to do all you need to do in order to get back on your feet and into your home.  FEMA may also not be as helpful as desired; after back to back disasters, they are restructuring their flood insurance program.

It’s also important to make sure that you are fully compensated for your losses. Even if your insurance company has already compensated you for some of the damages, and even if you’ve already cashed the insurance check, you may still be eligible for additional money from your insurance company if you were not actually paid in full.

Filing an insurance claim can be complicated, and you may need proof (photographs or video) of the full extent of the property damage, as well as itemized lists of missing or destroyed belongings.  Consulting an experienced insurance claim attorney can help ensure you are properly and fully compensated for damage caused by a hurricane.