Do I Need Flood Insurance?
Whether flood insurance is required, recommended, or optional depends on your FEMA flood zone, mortgage type, and lender. Here is how to find out.
Last updated: February 2026
What Is Flood Insurance?
Flood insurance is a separate policy that covers damage to your property caused by flooding. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so even if you have home insurance, you are not protected against floods without a dedicated flood policy.
The Short Answer
If your property is in a high-risk flood zone (any A or V zone) and you have a federally backed mortgage, your lender is required by law to ensure you carry flood insurance for the life of the loan. This comes from the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973.
Outside the SFHA, flood insurance is not required by federal law. However, about 25% of all NFIP flood claims come from properties outside high-risk zones. Flooding can happen anywhere, and the cost of coverage in lower-risk zones is substantially less than in high-risk areas.
Decision Guide by Flood Zone
Zones A, AE, AH, AO, AR, A99, V, VE
High-Risk (SFHA)
Zone X (shaded) / Zone B
Moderate Risk
Zone X (unshaded) / Zone C
Low Risk
Zone D
Undetermined Risk
Your Mortgage Type Matters
The federal flood insurance mandate applies specifically to properties with mortgages from federally regulated or government-backed lenders. This covers the vast majority of home loans in the United States.
| Mortgage Type | Insurance Required in SFHA? |
|---|---|
| Conventional (Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac) | Yes |
| FHA | Yes |
| VA | Yes |
| USDA | Yes |
| Jumbo (portfolio lender) | Depends on lender policy |
| Private / hard money loan | Depends on lender policy |
| No mortgage (owned outright) | Not required (recommended) |
Even lenders not federally regulated may require flood insurance as a condition of the loan. Check your loan documents or ask your lender directly.
What Happens If You Skip Flood Insurance
Force-Placed Insurance
If you have a federally regulated or government-backed mortgage in an SFHA and fail to purchase flood insurance within 45 days of notification, your lender is required by law to force-place a policy. Force-placed insurance is typically two to three times more expensive than a standard NFIP policy and only covers the lender's interest in the structure, not your personal belongings or equity.
After a Flood Without Insurance
Federal disaster assistance is not guaranteed after every flood. When it is available, it typically comes in the form of Small Business Administration (SBA) loans that must be repaid with interest, not grants. The average FEMA disaster grant is far less than the average flood claim payout. A single inch of floodwater can cause more than $25,000 in damage to a typical home.
Homeowners Insurance Does Not Cover Floods
Standard homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage. This is true regardless of the cause, whether it is a hurricane, heavy rainfall, snowmelt, or a river overflowing its banks. Flood insurance must be purchased as a separate policy through the NFIP or a private insurer.
How to Get Flood Insurance
Look up your flood zone
Use FludZone to find your FEMA flood zone designation for free. This determines whether insurance is required and gives you a baseline for expected costs.
Get NFIP and private quotes
Contact your insurance agent for an NFIP quote. Then request quotes from private flood insurers to compare coverage and pricing.
Review coverage limits
NFIP caps building coverage at $250,000 and contents at $100,000. If your property exceeds these limits, consider excess flood coverage from a private insurer.
Plan for the waiting period
NFIP policies have a 30-day waiting period before coverage begins. Do not wait until a storm is approaching to purchase a policy.
Related Resources
Average premiums by zone and strategies to lower your costs.
How FEMA defines high-risk flood areas and what it means for you.
How to remove your property from a high-risk zone if it was incorrectly mapped.
Compare federal and private flood insurance options.
Why Zone X homeowners should still consider flood insurance.
How flood zone designations affect home prices and what you can do.
Sources
This page summarizes information from FEMA and other official resources in plain language. For full technical details, see the links below.
- FloodSmart — Do I Need Flood Insurance?Direct Source
Official NFIP consumer site with eligibility guidance and cost estimators.
- FEMA Flood Insurance OverviewTopic Page
FEMA hub covering insurance requirements, the federal mandate, and NFIP enrollment.
- FEMA Flood Maps PortalGeneral Reference
Look up your zone to determine if insurance is required. Fallback for general flood risk info.
Sources last verified: February 2026
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