If it rains, it can flood. In Florida, the flood risk is higher because of the state’s frequency of storms and surrounding waters. Homeowners’ policies do not cover flooding. 

Flood insurance is an investment in your financial future. One inch of water can cause $25,000 in damage, growing yearly. 

A flood policy can cover both your structure and your contents. Any coverage is better than nothing, but we recommend working with a flood nerd and discussing your options to find what fits your unique needs. 

Can you get flood insurance in Florida?

Yes, you can and should get flood insurance if you have a property with a structure in Florida. There is no “flood Free” zone. Every year homes that thought they were safely flooded. Don’t be fooled by human-drawn maps. 

Florida has the most flood insurance policies in the US, which is a no-brainer since there are almost 8,436 miles of it. 

Your flood insurance options will vary depending on location and underwriter appetite within the private flood insurance market. The Government policy (NFIP) is available in most communities.

Most of the flood insurance policies in Florida are currently underwritten by the NFIP, and even though you may think your flood insurance is from, say, State Farm or Allstate, they are all just the NFIP policies. 

In Florida, most local agents are familiar with floods, but most don’t write enough of it to be called an expert in any realm. Although you can get a flood policy with a local agent, how would you know if you are getting a great price unless that agent shops all the private and government options? Most agents don’t because it takes a lot of time, and they are more interested in your auto or home policies and will begrudgingly write flood. Their mistakes could cost big time if you file a claim or worse in years of paying for very high premiums when you could have saved money by asking a flood nerd to shop options for you. 

The Definition of a flood does vary slightly. Still, most private flood insurance follows the NFIP definition, a temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of two or more acres of normally dry land or two or more properties. 

Most homeowners insurance in Florida excludes flooding as something that is covered. That is why you need to get flood insurance on a seperate policy. If your structure is in one of the 1.8 billion properties on a Florida flood zone map, your lender will require you to buy flood insurance. 

There are 5.9 billion properties, and although only ⅕ of them require flood insurance, it doesn’t mean that those not on one of the flood maps are safe. Rather it means that you are more likely to have a flood loss and not have the coverage needed wrecking your financial future and home. 

Nearly a fourth of all properties that flood yearly are in areas where flood insurance isn’t required. Don’t get stuck by this risk.