MAINE MONITOR • January 21, 2024
Roger Bintliff’s Corner Brew in Gardiner was flooded on Dec. 19. When that storm hit last month, Bintliff thought he was OK. He had invested in a hefty insurance policy that would cover up to $400,000 in damages. But with over $100,000 in damages, Bintliff was blindsided when he found out his insurance wouldn’t cover the losses because his policy was not flood-specific. Had Bintliff lost his equipment to a fire, he would have been covered, but not by a flood. As Maine riverfront and coastal communities prepare for wetter and more frequent storms, sea level rise and flooding that experts attribute to human-caused climate change, they also must reckon with the intricacies of a flood insurance market with narrow definitions and, for most flood-prone properties, increased premiums.