In July, torrential rains swept across Texas, leaving many families devastated and 141 lives lost.
That devastation was caused when a storm-triggered flash flood rose the Guadalupe River 25 feet in two hours, marking it as one of the deadliest flash floods in U.S. history.
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For Cynthia Thomas, a longtime resident of the Hill Country and a survivor of the Guadalupe River flooding, the disaster hit home. While she was safely in Houston celebrating the Fourth of July, her house was severely damaged. But the thought of flood insurance was never a pressing concern, but now insurance is unaffordable.
Although she told NBC News that the flood insurance quote for her neighbor was $6,000 per month, high risk areas have an annual rate of $1,021 a month.
Paying for protection
Thomas admits she’s seen flooding before, but never anything this severe. She even recalls making it through Hurricane Harvey and with resilience and perseverance, she will make it through the Guadalupe River’s devastation.
However, living a good distance from the river, and at higher elevation, she never felt the need for the extra coverage.
“Everybody knows that it doesn’t flood like that,” she told NBC News.
As she weighed her next steps to rebuild, she admitted that others in her community, including Camp Mystic, may never recover. After decades without a major flood, she said she’s simply “paying for it now.”
“I know the people who are not going to be able to rebuild,” she said. “Most of all, I’m grieving terribly about the loss of life, because some of them are friends … but I feel so blessed and lucky I was not there. Because I’m alive.”
According to Insurance.com, homeowners in Texas pay an average of $3,851 per year for home insurance — about $1,250 more than the national average. Standard home insurance typically doesn’t cover flooding, which means homeowners need a separate flood policy.
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) determines flood insurance premiums based on a property’s specific risk factors, including the likelihood of flash floods, a home’s elevation, foundation type, proximity to water and the cost to rebuild. These rates aren’t fixed — shifts in weather patterns, infrastructure or community development can all cause premiums to rise.
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The importance of community
Thomas isn’t the only homeowner who’s gone without flood insurance, but she’s fortunate to have a place to stay and reconnect with childhood friends from Camp Mystic.
“When you go to a camp like this, I felt really heard and I felt encouraged to be myself,” Thomas said. “We lived together. We learned each other’s quirks, annoying habits, all those kinds of things.”
She said the community support has been a source of strength during a difficult time. Even if you don’t live in a traditional flood zone, inland flood insurance can offer crucial protection. FEMA’s NFIP partners with more than 40 private insurers, and standalone policies may also offer more competitive rates.
For those already impacted by the Guadalupe River flooding, FEMA provides resources through DisasterAssistance.gov, its mobile app, or by calling 800-621-3362. And while financial recovery is critical, leaning on your community — whether it’s friends, neighbors, or local organizations — can make the journey back to normalcy feel far less overwhelming.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.