Whether your lender requires you to have a flood insurance policy or not, protecting your home and belongings with Flood insurance is the smart way to protect your biggest investment—your home! With both Federally back policies from the National Flood Insurance Program and private flood insurance policies, we can provide your family the protection from the elements you deserve.

Protect your home and what’s inside it with the right flood insurance policy.

Do I need flood insurance?

We get this question a lot. Sometimes people will follow it up with, “I’m not in a flood zone.” The reality is that every single address in the country is located in a flood zone, with different zones assigned varying levels of risk. Usually what people mean when they say they aren’t in a flood zone, is that they are not in one of the zones that is such a high risk that their lender requires them to have flood insurance.

Over time, FEMA reassesses these flood zone maps, and the zones can change. This can lead to an increase or a decrease in flood insurance rates, depending on the change.

While some areas are such a high risk that its a no-brainer to have a flood insurance policy, we recommend everyone at least consider one. In areas outside of a high-risk zone where the insurance is mandatory, rates can be very affordable.

What about my homeowner’s insurance?

Homeowner’s insurance does not cover flood damage. Sometimes, people refer to water damage from a burst pipe or faulty dishwasher as a “flood” but that’s not the same thing. Floods as a result of natural circumstances are not covered by homeowner’s insurance policies. This applies to the structure of your home as well as its contents.

Flood is the single biggest peril not covered by your homeowner’s insurance, so it is important to cover this gap with the proper insurance policy.

What is covered by flood insurance?

With insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program, there are two basic categories of coverage, each with a maximum limit of coverage. Your home itself, and its contents. For your house, the maximum coverage limit is $250,000. For the contents of your home, the limit is $100,000 in coverage.

This means that you can purchase up to a quarter-million dollars in coverage for damage to the structure of your home, which includes the following items in addition to the four walls of your house.

• Electrical and plumbing systems

• Furnaces and water heaters

• Refrigerators, cooking stoves, and built-in appliances like dishwashers

• Permanently installed carpeting

• Permanently installed cabinets, paneling, and bookcases

• Window blinds

• Foundation walls, anchorage systems, and staircases.

• Detached garages

• Fuel tanks, well water tanks and pumps, and solar energy equipment

Inside your home are its contents, and their value can quickly add up. A residential flood policy can provide up to $100,000 in coverage for those contents, which can include:

• Personal belongings such as clothing, furniture, and electronic equipment

• Curtains

• Washer and dryer

• Portable and window air conditioners

• Microwave oven

• Carpets not included in building coverage (e.g., carpet installed over wood floors)

• Valuable items such as original artwork and furs (up to $2,500)

What about the deductible?

There are separate deductibles for your contents and structure, and they can vary based on what you pick. The lower your deductible, the higher your premium will be, and vice-versa. If you choose the lowest deductible of $1,000, then you will receive no discount to your premium. If you choose the maximum deductible of $10,000, then you would save as much as 40% in premium.

Remember that the deductibles are separate for contents and structure, meaning you will be paying both deductibles out-of-pocket in the event of a claim that causes damage to both, which is very likely in the event of a serious flood, as can occur due to a hurricane or tropical storm.

Can I get flood insurance right away?

It depends. If you are closing on a house you’re buying, then you can buy a policy with no waiting period. Otherwise, when you purchase a flood insurance policy, there is a 30-day waiting period after the policy is issued before the coverage goes into effect. This is why it is very important to purchase flood coverage long before a storm is threatening to head your way.