Water, wind, fire, and bugs -- known in the insurance industry as the "four horsemen" -- cause billions of dollars in damage to U.S. homes each year. Water is the most dangerous of these and has the longest-lasting effects.

You may have noticed extreme weather is more common these days, and storms are getting worse with every passing year. Properties that never flooded before are now underwater, and homeowners who never thought they could face flooding are now bailing out their basements and trying to salvage their possessions.