Lake with boats and dock
Flooding

Understanding Flood Insurance

Most homeowners insurance does not cover flooding. However, homeowners can purchase flood insurance that will cover many types of flooding even if they are not in a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) floodplain.

Types of Flood Insurance

  • FEMA floodplain insurance (National Flood Insurance Program, NFIP)
  • Private insurance
  • Sump pump insurance
  • Sanitary back up insurance
  • Sanitary Sewer Service Line Coverage Options
  • Covers the pipe connecting home to sanitary sewer. This is done by private firms and protects homeowners if their pipe fails. *This does not cover flooding, but covers the fixing the pipe that could fail to cause sanitary sewer flooding.

Do your Homework before calling Insurance Agents

  • Read FEMA Flood Smart Document
  • Learn about your home. These factors impact what type of insurance is correct for you:
    • Sump pump
    • Walk out basement
    • Finished basement
    • Neighbors with groundwater seepage
    • Floodplain
    • History of flooding
  • Talk with multiple private insurance companies. Some are better versed on flood insurance than others.
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