--- title: "Flood Insurance Basics (FloodSmart / NFIP)" url: https://stacklist.com/card/f1a7ecd0-bbcd-46f2-ba2b-04948498418c source_url: "https://www.floodsmart.gov/" stack: https://stacklist.com/c/home/stack/652ea32d-c659-4b45-8244-761a2996cee5 summary: "Flood insurance basics from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) explain how to understand flood risk, obtain coverage, prepare homes and documents, and file claims after flooding events. The guide emphasizes that standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage and that nearly one-third of NFIP claims originate from outside high-risk flood areas." tags: "flood-insurance, nfip, homeowners-insurance, flood-risk, disaster-preparedness, insurance-claims, property-protection" key_entities: "National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) (organization), FloodSmart (organization), Flood Map Service Center (technology), flood insurance (concept), building coverage and contents coverage (concept), high-risk flood areas (concept), Flood Insurance Mitigation Tool (technology)" classification: "reference" content_hash: "sha256:2a89c5aa139fb8c45fceb3ad3641814d4f5d915193c1a9b7e9a1414633202e41" acp_version: "0.2" token_counts_approximate: 1359 visibility: public agent_accessible: true status: "final" --- # Flood Insurance Basics (FloodSmart / NFIP) Flooding Happens Everywhere Don’t wait until it happens to you. Almost anyone can protect their property with flood insurance. Get started today. Get a Quote Start a Claim Pause page animations HOW to be prepared? Take steps to protect your home, family and financial security throughout the year, and take extra precautions when flooding is predicted in your area. Follow these easy steps: Step 1: Understand your risk Step 2: Get flood insurance Step 3: Prepare your home and documents Step 4: Start a claim - Recover faster Step 1: Understand your risk Step 2: Get flood insurance Step 3: Prepare your home and documents Step 4: Start a claim - Recover faster Understand your risk Look up your address in the Flood Map Service Center to learn if you live, work or travel in areas that are at higher risk for flooding. Flood Map Service Center Get flood insurance Most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) can help you find an insurance provider. Use our insurance provider finder to locate an agent. An agent can help answer questions that are specific to your situation and get you a quote for a policy. Find an insurance provider Prepare your home and documents Take photos and videos of all major household items and valuables. Store these documents in a safe waterproof place because they are important when filing insurance claims. Save copies of birth certificates, passports, medical records and insurance papers in a safe, dry place. Keep original documents in a watertight safety deposit box. Discover more ways to minimize your flood losses Start a claim - Recover faster If your home experienced a few inches (or a few feet) of flood water, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) can help you recover. Report your loss immediately to your insurance agent or carrier. Need help finding your insurance agent or carrier? Call the NFIP at (877) 336-2627. Find more help with claims WHAT is flood insurance? Flood insurance covers losses directly caused by flooding. Flood insurance is specific to flooding since most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. What is a flood? In simple terms, a flood is an excess of water on land that is normally dry, affecting two or more acres of land or two or more properties. For example, damage caused by a sewer backup is covered if the backup is a direct result of flooding. Official Definition of a flood - NFIP Summary of Coverage . What is covered? In the event of a flood, your NFIP policy covers direct physical losses to your structure and belongings. The NFIP offers two types of coverage; building coverage and contents coverage. There are many circumstances that factor into what is covered, such as where you live, the kind of house you live in, the age of your home, and how it's built and arranged. Below are links to learn more. What does my policy cover? File a claim Flood zones & maps Community mitigation Are you eligible? Flood Insurance Mitigation Tool WHY get flood insurance? Where it rains, it can flood. No home is completely safe from a flood event. Unfortunately, many property owners do not find out until it's too late that their homeowners insurance policies do not cover flooding. Homeowners insurance doesn’t cover floods Most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. Only flood insurance covers the cost of rebuilding after a flood. Why get flood insurance? Everyone has SOME risk. Flooding can happen anywhere at any time. Poor drainage systems, summer storms, melting snow, neighborhood construction, and broken water mains can cause flooding. 29% of claims Almost one-third of NFIP flood insurance claims come from OUTSIDE high-risk flood areas. Faster recovery Rebuilding after a flood can be difficult. If you have flood insurance, you don’t have to go through it alone. It might be required Many property owners, particularly those in high-risk flood areas, may be required to have flood insurance. Peace of mind No home is completely safe from potential flooding. Flooding is the most common and the most costly natural disaster. 90% of all presidentially declared U.S. natural disasters involve flooding. Flood insurance can be the difference between recovery and financial devastation. Find an insurance provider WHO is at risk? Most properties. Flooding can happen just about anywhere it rains or snows. Nearly one-third of NFIP flood insurance claims occur outside high flood risk areas. How can I understand my risk? No matter where you live or work, some risk of flooding exists. Flood maps show a community’s risk of flooding. Specifically, flood maps show a community’s flood zone, floodplain boundaries and base flood elevation. All about flood maps Understanding my flood zone What's covered Community mitigation Are you eligible? Flood Insurance Mitigation Tool Flooding Happens Everywhere Don’t wait until it happens to you. Get started today! Get a Quote Featured campaign: Be prepared for hurricane season Flood insurance helps you recover faster. Hurricane When you live near the river, you can’t live without flood insurance. These owners of local businesses in Londonderry, Vermont, know that you can’t take the river for granted. With flood insurance and mitigation grants from FEMA, see how this New England community built resilience against frequent flooding. Watch the Video Protect the life you've built with flood insurance Get a Quote