Freeport, NY
Living on the water in Freeport
Freeport’s canals put boats in backyards and bring water to the edge of the street in a strong storm. We help homeowners line up flood, homeowners and auto coverage by phone, text and email.
A village built along the canals
Freeport is an incorporated village in the Town of Hempstead, on Nassau’s South Shore between Baldwin and Merrick. Canals reach inland from the bay across the southern part of the village, and many houses have a bulkhead and a dock out back. The Nautical Mile on Woodcleft Avenue lines one canal with seafood restaurants and charter boats, and the LIRR’s Babylon Branch stops at Freeport station.
Water shapes the insurance picture here. A standard homeowners policy does not cover flooding, so a house near the canals needs a separate flood policy for storm surge and high tides. Many homes in the south end sit in high-risk flood zones, and some have been raised since past storms. An elevation certificate, which shows how high the lowest floor sits, can affect what a flood policy costs.
North of Sunrise Highway the village sits farther from the water, and flood is not the main concern at every Freeport address. Those homes still need sound homeowners coverage, and the cars in the driveway still need insuring. Our office is a short drive east in West Babylon, and we handle nearly everything by phone, text and email.
Who we help in Freeport
Freeport households we help
Canal-front homeowners
A bulkhead, a dock and a low first floor change the conversation. We compare NFIP flood coverage with private flood options and explain what each pays for below the lowest floor.
Buyers closing on a South Shore house
A lender will require flood coverage on a home in a high-risk zone. The usual 30-day NFIP waiting period does not apply when the policy is bought for a loan closing, but the paperwork still takes time, so call us early.
Restaurants and shops near the water
Waterfront businesses carry the same flood exposure as the homes around them. We quote business insurance, general liability and workers comp, and look at flood coverage for the building and contents.
Local knowledge
Bays, parkways and Sunrise Highway
The Meadowbrook State Parkway runs along Freeport’s eastern side and carries beach traffic south toward Jones Beach. Sunrise Highway and Merrick Road cross the village east to west, and Main Street runs south toward the water. On summer weekends the roads near the canals fill with boat trailers and visitors heading for the Nautical Mile.
Low streets near the canals can flood in strong nor’easters and unusually high tides as well as in hurricanes. Cars parked on those streets are exposed too. Flood damage to a car falls under comprehensive coverage on the auto policy, not under the homeowners or flood policy, so a liability-only driver has no protection for it.
- Freeport station is on the LIRR’s Babylon Branch
- The Freeport Union Free School District serves the village
- NFIP flood policies usually have a 30-day waiting period before coverage starts
- Comprehensive coverage is the part of an auto policy that pays for flood damage
Coverage
Popular coverage in Freeport
Questions
Freeport insurance FAQ
What is an elevation certificate, and do I need one in Freeport?
An elevation certificate is a form completed by a licensed surveyor, engineer or architect that records how high your home sits compared with expected flood levels. It is not always required, but for many Freeport homes near the canals it can affect the price of an NFIP or private flood policy. If the house was raised, a new certificate documents the change.
Does my homeowners policy cover a damaged bulkhead or dock?
Often not, or only in part. Many homeowners policies limit or exclude docks, bulkheads and seawalls, and any damage caused by flooding is excluded on a standard policy. NFIP flood policies do not cover these structures either. We read the policy language with you so you know where the gaps are.
My car flooded on my street. Am I covered?
You are covered if your auto policy includes comprehensive coverage. Comprehensive pays for flood damage to a car, minus your deductible. A liability-only policy does not pay for damage to your own car, and neither does your homeowners or flood policy.
Turned down somewhere else? Call us before you give up.
Tell us what happened. We’ll go over your options, including the New York assigned-risk plan, and tell you honestly what it will take to get you insured.