Most homeowners, renters and condo policies do not cover flood damage. That surprises a lot of people, often right after a storm. Flood insurance is a separate policy that helps pay to repair your home and replace your belongings after a flood. ChaCha compares flood insurance quotes, including federal and private options where available and explains what each one covers.
01
Flood, on its own
Flood isn't part of a standard home policy. It's quoted and written separately.
02
What home insurance skips
We show you the flood exclusion in your current policy in plain words before we talk price.
03
The coverage that fills it
A policy written for flood damage, shopped alongside your home coverage, not instead of it.
Flood insurance covers direct physical damage caused by flooding, such as overflowing rivers, storm surge, heavy rain that pools faster than it drains, snowmelt and mudflow. It's available for homeowners, condo owners, renters and businesses.
There are two main sources. The National Flood Insurance Program or NFIP, is run by FEMA and sold through insurance agents. Private flood insurance is offered by some insurance companies and may offer higher limits or extra coverages in certain areas. We can help you compare both where available.
Flooding can damage many homes in one area at once, which makes it hard for standard policies to price. That's why flood is excluded from almost every homeowners, condo and renters policy. A burst pipe inside your home is usually covered by your home policy. Water coming in from outside after a storm usually isn't.
If your home is in a high-risk flood zone and you have a mortgage from a federally regulated or insured lender, flood insurance is usually required. But floods happen outside high-risk zones too. A large share of NFIP claims come from properties outside high-risk areas and just a few inches of water can cause thousands of dollars in damage to floors, walls and belongings.
It's worth considering flood insurance if:
Flood policies usually have two separate parts. You can buy one or both.
| Coverage | What it pays for | NFIP limit for a home |
|---|---|---|
| Building coverage | The structure and its systems, like the foundation, walls and floors | Up to $250,000 |
| Contents coverage | Your belongings, like furniture, clothing and electronics | Up to $100,000 |
Covers the structure and its systems, including:
Covers your belongings, including:
Renters can buy contents coverage on its own, since the landlord insures the building.
For a home, NFIP building coverage goes up to $250,000 and contents coverage up to $100,000. If your home would cost more to rebuild, excess or private flood coverage may help fill the gap. Business limits are higher.
Private flood policies may cover some of these, such as additional living expenses. We'll show you the differences.
Most new NFIP policies don't take effect until 30 days after purchase. That means you can't wait for a storm forecast to buy coverage. There are some exceptions, such as when coverage is required for a new mortgage. Private flood policies may have different waiting periods. The best time to buy is well before you need it.
Federal disaster assistance is only available when a disaster is officially declared and it's often limited or provided as a loan you must repay. Flood insurance pays covered claims whether or not a disaster is declared.
Under FEMA's current pricing approach, NFIP rates are based on each property's individual flood risk rather than flood zone alone.
We'll explain what your current home policy covers and excludes, compare flood insurance quotes and help you pick the right building and contents limits. If your lender requires flood coverage, we'll make sure the policy meets their terms.
ChaCha Insurance is an independent insurance agency. Quotes are free and asking for one doesn't start or change any policy.
We take the answers to the insurance companies we work with. You do not pay us a fee for the comparison.
The address where flooding could happen.
What you carry now, so we can show the flood exclusion next to it.
The building, your belongings or both. An elevation certificate helps if you have one.
Have these handy?
No. Almost all standard homeowners, condo and renters policies exclude flood. You need a separate flood policy. Water from a burst pipe inside your home is usually covered by your home policy, but water that comes in from outside after heavy rain, a storm surge or an overflowing river usually isn't. A flood policy can cover the building, your belongings or both.
NFIP policies usually take 30 days, with some exceptions. Private policies vary. The waiting period means you can't wait for a storm in the forecast to buy coverage. One common exception is a policy bought because a lender requires it for a new mortgage. Private flood policies may have different waiting periods, so we compare start dates along with price.
Yes. Renters can buy contents-only coverage for their belongings. Your landlord is responsible for insuring the building, so a renters flood policy covers things like furniture, clothing and electronics after a flood. A standard renters policy doesn't cover flood damage, so this fills that gap. Most belongings kept in a basement have limited coverage or none.
It's usually required if you live in a high-risk flood zone and have a federally backed mortgage. Otherwise, it's optional but often recommended. A lender can also require it even when the law doesn't. Floods happen outside high-risk zones too, so it's worth checking your property's flood risk before you decide to go without it.
Coverage in basements is limited, mostly to structural items and essential equipment like furnaces and water heaters. Most belongings stored there aren't covered. Finished flooring, paneling and furniture in a basement usually aren't covered either. If you have a finished basement or keep valuable items there, we'll explain the limits before you buy.
NFIP is a federal program with set limits. Private flood policies may offer higher limits or extra coverages, depending on the company and your location. For a home, NFIP building coverage goes up to $250,000 and contents coverage up to $100,000. Private policies may cover more, include extra living expenses or have different waiting periods. We can compare both where available.
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Updated
ChaCha, Inc. is an independent insurance agency. Coverage descriptions on this site are general summaries for information only. They are not an offer of insurance and they do not amend or replace the terms of any policy. Actual coverage is subject to policy language, underwriting approval and availability in your state.
