Residential Flood Insurance

A few inches of water is enough to open a five-figure claim — recent FEMA data puts the average residential flood claim near $48,000, and standard homeowners policies exclude flood entirely. A separate flood policy is the only way to insure against it, and you have more options than most homeowners realize.

Who residential flood insurance is for

We write flood coverage for every way people live in a property:

• Homeowners — building and contents, on NFIP or private paper.
• Renters — contents-only policies that protect what’s yours, not the landlord’s building.
• Condo owners — unit coverage that fits around your association’s master policy. (Boards and property managers: see our RCBAP master policy page.)
• Landlords — building coverage for tenant-occupied homes.

NFIP or private flood — why the choice matters

The federal National Flood Insurance Program is the default most people know. The private flood market is where homeowners often find the better deal, and comparing both is exactly what an independent flood agency exists to do:

• Premiums often 10–50% lower than a comparable NFIP policy, with fees typically lower too.
• Same-day binding, shorter waiting periods — a private policy can be bound the day you apply, with coverage effective in as little as 7–10 days versus the NFIP’s 30. For a new purchase or refinance, waiting periods are generally waived entirely.
• Higher available limits — the NFIP caps residential building coverage at $250,000; private policies can insure the home’s real replacement cost.
• Accepted by lenders — private flood policies satisfy federal mortgage requirements.
• “A”-rated insurers, including Lloyd’s of London markets we hold direct access to.

Private flood is not automatically the winner — some properties, loss histories, and grandfathered NFIP rates favor the federal program, and we’ll tell you when that’s the case. The full breakdown is in our Private vs. NFIP comparison.

What it costs

Pricing turns on location, elevation, flood zone, construction, foundation type, and the coverage you choose — which is why two neighbors can pay very different premiums. See what drives rates in your state in our state-by-state cost guide, or skip straight to real numbers with a quote.

How to get covered

Start a secure online quote — it takes about two minutes — or call 855-225-3566 and talk to a licensed flood specialist, Mon–Fri 7:30–5 PT. We compare up to nine private markets plus the NFIP and come back with the options, the tradeoffs, and a recommendation in plain English.