While going through a costly divorce earlier this year, Cavanaugh's flood insurance coverage lapsed. Many people in the small coastal community, which faces the Gulf of Mexico southwest of Fort Myers, did not have flood insurance coverage. It appears that, despite an increased occurrence of devastating flood events, a declining percentage of people nationwide have flood insurance policies. Chuck Larsen / SantivaChronicle.com via APOne significant issue is that many homeowners assume a typical homeowner's insurance policy covers floods. The average cost of flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program is $995 a year, according to Forbes Advisor analysis.

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