You can get flood insurance backed by the Federal Government through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), but now private insurance companies are providing their own flood insurance policies and underwriting the risk themselves.
There are two types of private market flood insurance:
- An increasing number of private insurers are starting to offer “first-dollar” or primary flood insurance. These policies are similar to the NFIP policy, but generally offer higher levels of coverage. To find out whether private primary flood insurance is available in your area, contact your insurance professional.
- Excess flood insurance is available for homeowners who need additional insurance protection over and above the basic NFIP policy or for those who live in a community that does not participate in the NFIP. Excess flood insurance can be purchased whether the primary policy is from NFIP or the private market. Excess flood insurance is available in all parts of the country—in high-risk flood zones along the coast and close to major rivers as well as in areas of lower risk. It can be purchased from specialized companies through independent insurance agents, or from regular homeowners insurance companies that have arrangements with a specialized insurer to provide coverage to their policyholders.