WILMINGTON -- Is your home protected in case of a flood? With hurricane season around the corner insurance agents are warning homeowners to buy coverage now. Hurricane season starts June 1 and insurance agents say once you buy the coverage, it still takes 30 days to go in to effect. That's why now is the time to protect your home and its contents. The reason why it's so important is because most homeowners' insurance doesn't cover flooding. That leaves many people at a loss when a flood occurs and there's no coverage to help them get their house back in livable condition. Insurance agents say a common misconception of homeowners who don't live near a river or the beach is that they don't need flood insurance. But agents warn even a drainage ditch near a house can flood during heavy rains. They say it's a relatively small investment that could save you from a big headache. Insurance agent Charlotte Hicks said, "Flood insurance is one of the best deals around because it's heavily subsidized by the federal government so the premiums are actually very low. If you live in a preferred zone, which means a lower risk flood zone, it's very inexpensive -- less than $300 a year for as much as $250,000 of coverage on your home." Charlotte Hicks also says more than 25 percent of paid flood claims come from people who live in preferred zones. Flood insurance is available for renters too. They can insure just the contents of their homes. For more information about your flood risk and how to protect your home you can visit www.floodsmart.gov.