Typically a person gets flood insurance to cover some costs of flood induced damage to your home and other personal items.There are two types of flood insurance, government flood insurance and private flood insurance. For the most part, flood insurance is insured by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and is managed by FEMA, but some people go a different path and get private flood insurance.

NFIP (FEMA) Flood Insurance

Some of the reasons to get federal flood insurance include its wide range of availability, and the reliable coverage. The downsides include, not being able to get coverage if you have to flee your house and relocate, and your claim is usually limited to $250,000 for personal residences and $100,000 for contents. It is important to note that flood insurance has two different parts – dwelling and contents – and they MUST be purchaesd seperately.

How much does it cost? Well that depends on where you live and where your property is on the FEMA Flood maps. However, if you do purchase a FEMA flood insurance policy it will cost the same no matter where you get it. The cost does not differ from agency to agency. It is solely based on the address of your property you are trying to insure.

Private Flood Insurance

The pros of private flood insurance are being able to claim over $250,000, and getting coverage for your additional living expenses if needed. For example, if you have to move out of your property after a flood for renovations, some or all of those costs may be covered. Another benefit is the waiting time for your policy to take effect: 15 days for private insurance vs. the 30 day waiting period required for NFIP insurance.

The cons to private insurance however are your insurance company denying to renew your flood insurance policy if you are deemed too risky, and it not being available to everyone. In contrast NFIP insurance can not cancel your flood policy, buy may raise the rates based on how many and how much you claim for a flooding evert.

Floods can happen anywhere — just one inch of floodwater can cause up to $25,000 in damage. Most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. Flood insurance is a separate policy that can cover buildings, the contents in a building, or both, so it is important to protect your most important financial assets — your home, your business, your possessions.

FEMA