Final answer:
Flood policies typically cover damage from external sources of water and not floods confined to the insured's premises. The term '1 in 100 year flood' means there's a 1% chance of such a flood occurring in any given year, not that it will happen every 100 years. Predicting future flood events involves understanding environmental patterns and historical data.
Step-by-step explanation:
Whether a flood policy covers a flood confined to the insured's premises depends on the specific terms and conditions of the policy. Typically, flood insurance is designed to cover damage from external flooding, such as when water levels from an outside body of water rise and cause damage to a property. This may include instances where a natural watercourse overflows, or when there is a significant accumulation of water due to heavy rain that the local drainage system cannot handle.
In terms of recurrence, it is possible for a flood with a similar discharge to the one referenced from 9/23/2009 to happen again within the next 20 years. This is often due to the fact that floods do not follow a predictable pattern and what is described as a '1 in 100 year flood' does not guarantee that floods of similar magnitude will occur every 100 years, but rather indicates a 1% chance of occurring in any given year.
Historical accounts, weather patterns, and agricultural impacts all underscore the unpredictability and variability of flooding events. Therefore, it's essential to understand that flood policies and forecasting future flood events require a comprehensive understanding of environmental patterns, historical data, and the specific terms outlined by flood insurance policies.