Flood, Storm & Catastrophe Insurance
The single largest gap in most homeowners policies, and how flood pricing actually works.
Standard policies exclude flood entirely
Homeowners insurance covers sudden internal water discharge such as a burst pipe. It does not cover surface water entering the property. That distinction is absolute, and it is why a street that floods once produces thousands of denied claims from people who believed they were insured.
Zone and elevation drive the premium
Pricing keys off the flood zone and the building's height relative to the base flood elevation. A property a few feet above that level can cost a fraction of one a few feet below. An elevation certificate documents the difference and frequently pays for itself in the first year.
Coverage caps and what sits above them
Federally backed flood coverage is capped, separately for building and contents. Properties worth more than the cap need excess flood coverage from a private insurer, and basements are treated restrictively under most flood policies regardless of what is stored there.
The waiting period defeats last-minute buying
Flood policies commonly take effect only after a waiting period measured in weeks. Buying as a storm approaches achieves nothing. This is the single most common reason people who did try to insure end up uninsured.
Storm claims have their own procedural traps
Wind and hail damage is usually covered but frequently carries a separate, percentage-based deductible. Proof of loss deadlines are short after a catastrophe, adjusters are overloaded, and contractors arrive with assignment of benefits paperwork. Documenting early and reading before signing matters more in a catastrophe than at any other time.
Common questions
Do I need flood insurance outside a high-risk zone?
Often yes. A meaningful share of flood claims come from lower-risk zones, where premiums are also much lower.
Does flood insurance cover a flooded basement?
Only partially. Most flood policies severely limit contents and finishing below grade.