On Thursday, August 15th at 5pm in the meeting room of Avalon Borough Hall (3100 Dune Dr.), the Borough of Avalon along with the New Jersey Coastal Coalition will hold a meeting to educate and discuss with our community the importance of flood insurance. Experts will be on hand to potentially review attendees’ elevation certificates and current flood insurance policies to make sure they are rated correctly. Anyone looking to make use of this service should bring their elevation certificate, flood insurance declaration page, and two photos of their home’s exterior.
Avalon property owners currently receive a 35% discount on their premiums thanks to the borough’s efforts to achieve and maintain a Class 3 certification from the Community Rating System. This status has only been achieved by a handful of towns across the country and is thanks to a variety of activities that Avalon takes to mitigate flood problems across the borough.
In his letter about the meeting, Mayor John McCorristin states, “Being a barrier island, nearly all of Avalon is in a designated flood hazard zone, and Avalon has historically seen significant coastal flooding events. Coastal flood damage can result in millions of dollars in damage to communities such as Avalon. As residents of a coastal community and our knowledge associated with its flooding history, we know the risks affiliated with flooding especially when it is compounded with hurricanes and other types of storm events. Flood insurance can aid when your structure is damaged during such events. That is why it is important to have flood insurance. Buildings located in the Flood Hazard Area which have a federally backed mortgage are required to have flood insurance. Buildings being insured with flood insurance help the Borough, as a community, respond and recover more quickly after a flooding event. Flood insurance can be the difference between recovery or being financially devastated as it protects your home and property. Everyone should be aware that damage from flooding is NOT covered by homeowners or renter’s insurance.”
This meeting is being sponsored by Heist Insurance Company and Risk Reduction Plus. Councilman Sam Wierman, Borough Floodplain Administrator Ed Dean, and municipal engineer Thomas Thornton will also be on hand to provide valuable local insight. Ed Dean can be reached at 609-967-8200 to answer taxpayer’s questions about the subject. More information can also be found at www.njcoastalcoalition.com/projects or in the Borough’s Flood Insurance Guide brochure which can be downloaded here.
Cover image created with Midjourney prompt: flood insurance paperwork.
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