How to read your flood insurance policy
What the parts of a flood insurance policy mean, so you know what your own document says before you talk to your insurer, agent, or attorney.
Flood damage is not covered by a standard homeowners or renters policy. Covering it takes a separate flood insurance policy, through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or a private insurer.
Building coverage (the physical structure and its built-in systems) and contents coverage (your belongings) are purchased separately. Your FEMA flood zone and how your home sits relative to the base flood elevation affect your rates.
Source: Insurance Information Institute.
The parts to find on a flood insurance policy
- Base flood elevation
- The height floodwater is expected to reach in a major flood. How your home sits relative to it affects your rates.
- Building coverage
- Flood coverage for the physical structure of your home and its built-in systems.
- Contents coverage
- Flood coverage for your personal belongings. It is purchased separately from building coverage.
- Flood zone
- A FEMA map designation for an area flood risk. It affects your rates and whether a lender requires flood insurance.
- Increased cost of compliance
- Extra flood coverage that helps pay to elevate, relocate, or demolish a repeatedly flooded building to meet floodplain rules.
What UnderstandMyPolicy shows you
Upload your own flood insurance policy and it reads the document and explains what it says, with every answer cited to the page and clause. It reports what your policy states, not whether your coverage is enough — that is a conversation for you and a licensed agent or attorney.