Flood Insurance vs. Home Insurance: Are You Covered?

Your home may be the single largest asset in your life and ensuring you have the right home insurance coverage to protect this important investment may make the difference between minor disruptions and devastating financial losses.

 

Understanding the differences between home insurance and flood insurance can be confusing; we’re here to help simplify the comparison so you can make sure you have the right coverage for your specific situation.

Home insurance will typically provide basic coverage and may reimburse your losses from several causes, such as fire, theft, and water damage due to broken pipes but it won’t pay for flood damage.

 

Optional endorsements can be added, like Water Backup and Sump Pump Overflow Coverage, which provides protection in the event of water backup through sewers or drains, or a sump pump failure. This excludes damage that is the direct result of surface water or flooding.

 

Flood insurance is different than home insurance as it covers your full property, including electrical and plumbing systems and built-in appliances.

 

It may be a prudent decision to add an extra layer of protection in the form of flood insurance if your home is in or near a high flood risk zone or in a region that is susceptible to water damage from sources such as:

 

The Hartford offers flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). If you’re an existing policyholder with The Hartford, consider adding flood insurance to extend your protection. You can get flood insurance through us even if you don’t have home insurance with The Hartford.

When it comes to the cost of flood insurance, all companies that sell NFIP flood insurance use the same rates to determine the price. However, private flood insurance companies can determine their own rates. NFIP flood rates are based on a home’s geographic location and the flood risk associated with it.

 

For more information, visit the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.