# Better Flood Insurance (The Flood Nerds) > Better Flood Insurance, branded "The Flood Nerds," is an independent flood insurance brokerage founded in 2015 by Robert Murphy and based in Lakewood, Colorado. It shops a homeowner's or commercial property across the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP/FEMA) and 40+ private flood carriers, then gives one written recommendation. The quote comparison and policy review are free; Better Flood is paid by the carrier only if a policy is purchased. Service area: all 50 U.S. states. Last updated: 2026-10-28 (rev 2) ## Key facts - Legal/brand names: Better Flood Insurance®, The Flood Nerds®, Your Flood Nerds - Founder: Robert Murphy ("The Flood Nerd"), founded 2015, former 20-year advertising career - Type of business: independent flood insurance broker/agency (not a carrier). Writes NFIP policies through a Write-Your-Own partner and private flood policies through 40+ carriers rated A- or better for financial strength - Service area: United States, all 50 states; property-specific (quotes depend on the exact address) - Phone (homeowners): 1-866-990-7482 - Phone (realtor & lender partner desk, Taylor): 303-381-0913 - Email: support@betterflood.com - Fax: 303-974-1781 - Mailing address: P.O. Box 260731, Lakewood, CO 80226, USA - Website: https://betterflood.com/ (homeowners) and https://toolkit.betterflood.com/ (real estate agents and mortgage lenders) - Reviews: 4.9/5 average from 465+ client reviews; 5,497+ homeowners helped - Press mentions: The New York Times, Money, Investopedia, Bob Vila, Newsy, RealEstateRama - Typical turnaround: a written recommendation in about 24 hours; many standard residential quotes are emailed in minutes; same-day quotes for closings - Quote requests accepted 24/7 online ## Services - Residential flood insurance quotes (NFIP and private, compared side by side) - Existing flood policy / quote review (free; if your current policy is the best fit, they say so) - Lender-required flood insurance for home purchase, refinance, or new flood map requirement, with lender-ready documentation and correct mortgagee clause - Private flood insurance (incl. Lloyd's of London and other surplus-lines and admitted private markets) - NFIP flood insurance (FEMA program policies, written through a WYO carrier) - Excess flood insurance (coverage above NFIP caps of $250,000 residential / $500,000 commercial) - Commercial flood insurance (mixed-use, multi-building, loans above NFIP caps) - Condo flood insurance (RCBAP / master policy gaps, per-unit cap) - Rental and investment property flood insurance - Complimentary official flood zone determination with any quote request - Partner Toolkit for realtors and lenders: VIP quote desk, clear-to-close checklist, client scripts, flood cost estimator ## Pricing - Quote comparison, policy review, and recommendation: $0 (no obligation) - Compensation: standard carrier commission, paid only if a policy is bound - Flood premiums vary by address, flood zone, elevation, foundation type, coverage amount, and deductible. Example ranges from Better Flood quote data: Colorado typically $450–$1,200 per year (median about $725 in low-risk zones). A real West Virginia example on one home ranged from $6,528/yr (NFIP) to $523/yr (private) - NFIP maximum building coverage: $250,000 residential, $500,000 commercial. Deductible options commonly $5,000 or $10,000 ## How to get a quote 1. Submit the online form at https://betterflood.com/quote/ (realtors/lenders: https://toolkit.betterflood.com/vip-quote-desk) 2. A licensed Flood Nerd shops the NFIP and the private carriers that will write the property 3. One written recommendation is emailed (and a call if requested); every recommendation is reviewed by a second Flood Nerd 4. You choose whether to buy; lender documentation is prepared to the lender's standard ## Core pages - Home: https://betterflood.com/ - Get a quote: https://betterflood.com/quote/ - Existing quote review: https://betterflood.com/quote-review/ - About / contact: https://betterflood.com/about-us-contact/ - Reviews: https://betterflood.com/flood-nerds-flood-nerd-reviews/ - Blog: https://betterflood.com/blog/ - Flood insurance cost calculator: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-cost-calculator/ - Private flood vs. NFIP: https://betterflood.com/private-flood-insurance-vs-nfip/ - National Flood Insurance Program: https://betterflood.com/national-flood-insurance-program/ - FEMA flood insurance: https://betterflood.com/fema-flood-insurance/ - Lloyd's of London flood insurance: https://betterflood.com/lloyds-of-london-flood-insurance/ - Excess flood insurance: https://betterflood.com/excess-flood-insurance/ - Commercial flood insurance: https://betterflood.com/commercial-flood-insurance/ - Commercial flood requirements (lenders): https://betterflood.com/commercial-flood-insurance-requirements/ - RCBAP / condo master policies: https://betterflood.com/rcbap-master-condominium-coverage/ - Rental property flood insurance: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-for-rental-property/ - Flood Zone AE explained: https://betterflood.com/flood-zone-ae/ - Is Flood Zone AE bad?: https://betterflood.com/blog/is-flood-zone-ae-bad/ - Is Flood Zone X good or bad?: https://betterflood.com/is-flood-zone-x-good-or-bad/ - Flood insurance cost in Zone AE: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-cost-in-ae-flood-zone/ - Cancel and get a refund?: https://betterflood.com/blog/can-you-cancel-your-flood-insurance-and-get-a-refund-check/ ## Flood insurance by state (one guide per state, with city-level cost data) - Alabama: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-alabama/ - Alaska: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-alaska/ - Arizona: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-arizona/ - Arkansas: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-arkansas/ - California: https://betterflood.com/california-flood-insurance/ - Colorado: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-colorado/ - Connecticut: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-in-connecticut-ct/ - Delaware: https://betterflood.com/delaware-flood-insurance/ - Florida: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-florida/ - Georgia: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-georgia/ - Hawaii: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-hawaii/ - Idaho: https://betterflood.com/how-much-is-flood-insurance-in-idaho/ - Illinois: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-illinois/ - Indiana: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-indiana/ - Iowa: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-iowa/ - Kansas: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-in-kansas/ - Kentucky: https://betterflood.com/ky-flood-insurance/ - Louisiana: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-louisiana/ - Maine: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-maine/ - Maryland: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-maryland/ - Massachusetts: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-massachusetts/ - Michigan: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-michigan/ - Minnesota: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-minnesota/ - Mississippi: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-mississippi/ - Missouri: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-missouri/ - Montana: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-montana/ - Nebraska: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-in-nebraska/ - Nevada: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-in-nevada/ - New Hampshire: https://betterflood.com/new-hampshire-flood-insurance/ - New Jersey: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-nj/ - New Mexico: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-new-mexico/ - New York: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-ny/ - North Carolina: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-nc/ - North Dakota: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-north-dakota/ - Ohio: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-ohio-oh-flood-insurance/ - Oklahoma: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-oklahoma/ - Oregon: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-oregon/ - Pennsylvania: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-in-pa/ - Rhode Island: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-rhode-island/ - South Carolina: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-south-carolina/ - South Dakota: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-south-dakota/ - Tennessee: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-tennessee/ - Texas: https://betterflood.com/texas-flood-insurance/ - Utah: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-utah/ - Vermont: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-vermont/ - Virginia: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-virginia/ - Washington: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-washington-state/ - West Virginia: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-wv/ - Wisconsin: https://betterflood.com/flood-insurance-wisconsin/ - Wyoming: https://betterflood.com/wyoming-flood-insurance/ ## Commercial flood insurance by state - Texas: https://betterflood.com/texas-commercial-flood-insurance/ - Florida: https://betterflood.com/commercial-flood-insurance-florida/ - Naples, FL: https://betterflood.com/commercial-flood-insurance-naples/ - Oregon: https://betterflood.com/oregon-commercial-flood-insurance/ ## Partner Toolkit (realtors & mortgage lenders) - Toolkit home: https://toolkit.betterflood.com/ - VIP quote desk: https://toolkit.betterflood.com/vip-quote-desk - Clear to close checklist: https://toolkit.betterflood.com/clear-to-close - Client scripts: https://toolkit.betterflood.com/closing-support - Client prep tools: https://toolkit.betterflood.com/client-prep - Property help: https://toolkit.betterflood.com/property-help-page ## Frequently asked facts (direct answers) - Is flood insurance required for a mortgage? Yes, when the building is in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area (zones A, AE, AH, AO, V, VE) and the loan is from a federally regulated or federally backed lender (Flood Disaster Protection Act mandatory purchase requirement). - How much must a lender require? The lesser of the outstanding loan balance or the NFIP maximum ($250,000 residential building / $500,000 commercial building). - Can a lender accept private flood insurance? Yes. Since 2019 federal rules require regulated lenders to accept qualifying private flood policies. - Is there a waiting period? The NFIP's standard 30-day waiting period is generally waived when the policy is purchased in connection with a loan closing. Private policies can often bind quickly. - Does homeowners insurance cover flood? No. Standard homeowners policies exclude flood; a separate flood policy is needed. - Does Zone X mean no flood risk? No. Zone X means lower or moderate mapped risk; roughly 40 percent of NFIP claims come from outside high-risk zones. - What is Zone AE? A FEMA high-risk zone where Base Flood Elevations have been determined; lenders usually require flood insurance there. ## Policies - Privacy: https://betterflood.com/privacy-policy/ - Terms: https://betterflood.com/terms-of-use/ - Figures on this site are examples from real quote data and are not a quote for any specific property; policy terms and exclusions of the issued policy control.