Florida Flood Insurance
Many homeowners are surprised to learn their homeowner’s insurance policies don’t cover flooding events. That’s right: Most homeowner’s policies won’t cover flood damage.
How Does Typical Home InsuranceDefine ‘Flooding'?
If a pipe in your home burst and flooded your floor, would it be considered a “flooding event” and thus, not be reimbursed by your homeowner’s policy? Or would it be covered?
If you answered, “Yes, this event should be covered under my homeowner’s insurance policy” (or something similar), you may be correct. A flooded floor or other water damage to the home caused by a busted pipe (or even a malfunctioning appliance) would likely be covered by a typical homeowner’s insurance policy.
What kinds of events then, are classified as “flooding” and are thus not covered under a standard home insurance policy? Obviously, a heavy rainfall event wherein water rose into your home would be considered flooding. However, other kinds of damage classified as “flood damage” under standard home insurance and flood insurance policies aren’t quite so obvious. In other words, your house doesn’t need to flood with rainwater to sustain “flood damage.” As specified in typical homeowners and flood insurance policies, flood damage also includes:
- Rising water damage
- Storm surge damage
- Mud damage
Your home insurance (or any home policy you’re considering for purchase) won’t cover the above events.
Where Can I Buy Flood Insurance in Florida?
The overwhelming majority of flood insurance policies across the US—including in Florida—are sold under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The NFIP is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
To purchase FEMA flood insurance, you must go through an NFIP-Direct-affiliated agency. Sandsprit Insurance has sold flood insurance through NFIP for many years.
