- Monsoon flash flooding
- Microbursts
- Hail
- Hard freezes
- Wildfire near the mountains
A city ringed by mountains
Tucson sits in a basin surrounded by the Santa Catalina, Rincon, Santa Rita and Tucson mountains. Monsoon storms build over those ranges and collapse into the city, sending water racing down washes such as the Rillito, Pantano and Tanque Verde. In July 2006 a severe storm triggered debris flows in Sabino Canyon, and in October 1983 the remnants of Tropical Storm Octave caused some of the worst flooding in the region’s history.
Housing you only find here
Central neighborhoods such as Barrio Viejo, Armory Park and El Presidio hold adobe and Sonoran row houses with flat roofs and parapets. Sam Hughes and the Grant–Swan corridor are full of 1930s to 1950s brick and slump-block homes. The Catalina Foothills, Oro Valley and Marana add large custom homes on hillside lots, and the southeast side, including Rita Ranch and Civano, is mostly newer stucco and tile.
Those flat roofs with parapets are a classic source of disputes. Scuppers, canales and parapet caps fail in wind-driven rain, and water entry through a parapet can look like long-term neglect unless the storm damage is carefully documented.
Freeze and fire
Tucson rarely freezes hard, which is exactly why the February 2011 freeze caused so many burst pipes in homes with exposed lines. On Mount Lemmon above the city, the 2003 Aspen Fire destroyed much of Summerhaven, a reminder that wildfire risk sits on the city’s northern horizon.
Areas we cover
Central Tucson, Sam Hughes, Armory Park, Barrio Viejo, Catalina Foothills, Tanque Verde, Oro Valley, Marana, Dove Mountain, Rita Ranch, Civano, Vail, Sahuarita, Green Valley and the rest of Pima County.
Appraisal services in Tucson
Every Arizona Insurance Appraiser service is available to owners in Tucson and across Pima County, including:
- Appraisal Clause Representation
- Homeowner Claim Appraisal
- Commercial & HOA Claim Appraisal
- Roof & Hail Damage Appraisal
- Monsoon Wind & Microburst Appraisal
- Water & Slab Leak Damage Appraisal
- Fire & Smoke Damage Appraisal
Questions from Tucson property owners
My adobe home has a flat roof that leaked in a monsoon. Is it covered?
If storm wind or debris created the opening that let the rain in, the resulting damage is often covered. Ordinary wear on parapets and roof coatings usually is not. Documentation is everything.
Is wash flooding covered by homeowners insurance?
Rising surface water is usually excluded and needs flood insurance. Rain entering through storm-damaged roofs or windows is a different matter.
Do you cover Green Valley and Sahuarita?
Yes, along with Vail, Marana, Oro Valley and the rest of Pima County.