[cappyjon431]

Thanks for all the input. I am always impressed with the thoughtful information provided by TOTV members. You guys are great!

We decided to go with the flood insurance (at least for the first year, then we will reevaluate). One of the reasons that we decided to get the coverage is that we were told that while the house is covered by the previous owner's policy up until closing on August 29th, if a storm were to cause major damage to the property prior to closing, the insurance companies have the discretion of locking us out from purchasing coverage for up to sixty days. Being hurricane season and with a storm brewing in the Caribbean presently, we opted to buy the insurance.

I am well aware of the potential damage from hurricanes and tropical storms, having been raised in Miami (and living through Hurricane Andrew) and having lived in the Bahamas, Belize, and Wilmington, NC. My move to TV is the first time in my life I have not lived on/near the coast, so I wasn't sure if the coverage was really necessary. I guess it is better to err on the side of caution, especially for the minimal cost of the insurance.