While homeowners in Florida have the pleasure of enjoying copious amounts of sunshine, they also have to be prepared for the state’s visits from hurricanes and other natural disasters. Water damage and flooding can cause devastating effects on the home, including total destruction. That’s why it’s so important to ask your Florida independent insurance agent what your Florida homeowners insurance covers. For starters, here’s more about home insurance and flooding.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Flooding in Florida?

Well, it depends on what type of flooding you’re talking about. Flooding caused by non-natural events such as burst pipes or broken appliances within the home is often covered by standard homeowners policies in Florida. However, flooding caused by natural disasters like hurricanes and monsoons is never covered by homeowners insurance anywhere in the country. If you live an area prone to natural flooding of any kind, you’ll need to look into Florida flood insurance.

When Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Flooding in Florida?

Unfortunately, if it’s due to a thunderstorm or other natural disaster, the answer is never. Flooding due to storms is not covered by homeowners insurance, period. The only time your homeowners insurance will cover water damage that could be deemed “flooding” within the home is if it’s caused by broken pipes or appliances, not by Mother Nature.

The good news is that if your home is flooded due to busted pipes, etc., your homeowners policy provides the following types of coverage:

• Structural damage: Covers what insurance companies refer to as the “dwelling” or the structure of the home itself. Damage to or destruction of the dwelling by covered sources of flooding will be reimbursed by your insurance company.
• Personal property damage: Covers damage to or destruction of your personal belongings like furniture, clothing, electronics, etc. from non-natural sources of flooding.  

A Florida independent insurance agent can further explain the coverage for flooding included in your homeowners insurance policy. If you’re concerned about flooding due to natural sources like storms, your agent can also point you in the right direction for getting flood insurance to further protect your home.

If Homeowners Insurance Doesn’t Cover Flooding, What Will?

For natural sources of flooding, you’ll need a flood insurance policy, and there’s really no way around it. Flood insurance is designed to protect your property’s physical structure, or dwelling, as well as your personal belongings stored inside if they get damaged or destroyed by natural water (i.e., rain, waves, etc.). Often, water must cover at least two acres of land to qualify for reimbursement.

Flood coverage is excluded in many standard insurance policies like homeowners, renters, and business insurance in Florida due to the extreme costs associated with property damage due to water inundation. Without the proper coverage, homeowners could easily go bankrupt trying to pay for damages out of pocket. Flood insurance is only available through the National Flood Insurance Program, which is a part of FEMA.

What Does Flood Insurance Cover in Florida?

Similar to homeowners policies in Florida, flood insurance is designed to protect your home and your stuff. But since these standard policies exclude flood damage specifically, that’s where flood insurance steps in to fill the void.

Flood insurance covers the following:

• Damage to/loss of your home or business: Known as “structural coverage,” this includes the foundation of the building, electrical systems, indoor plumbing, built-in appliances and additional flooring installed, like carpeting. Detached structures like sheds are often covered as well.
• Damage to/loss of your stuff: Known as “contents coverage,” this includes furniture (built-in and free-standing), smaller/not built-in appliances, some food, valuables, and clothing.

It’s important to note that any depreciation of your property's value will be factored into what a flood insurance policy will pay towards reimbursement for damages, depending on the type of claim filed. Certain types of claims will only qualify for actual current cash value reimbursement, while others will qualify for the full original replacement cost.

What Are the Benefits of Flood Insurance in Florida?

The most obvious benefit of flood insurance is that it provides critical protection against property damage due to natural floodwaters. That being said, there are a handful of important benefits to having a flood insurance policy in Florida:

• Protection for your home’s structure: Flood insurance policies provide protection against property damage to residential homes that’s caused by flooding. This coverage is specifically excluded in standard homeowners policies in Florida.
• Protection for your belongings: Again, flood insurance policies provide protection lacking in standard homeowners policies in Florida for flood damage to your personal belongings or business inventory.
• Protection against bankruptcy: Having to pay for flood damages out of pocket could send a homeowner into bankruptcy, fast. Flood insurance allows homeowners to rebuild/repair and keep their home.
• Bridges the gap left by other policies: Since standard homeowners policies in Florida specifically exclude flood damage, and floods are indeed a threat to residents in the state, it’s important to have a policy that fills the void.

Flood damage can cost homeowners in Florida hundreds of thousands of dollars for repairs, replacements, and rebuilds. Having the right flood insurance policy can mean the difference between saving and losing your home following a costly and heartbreaking disaster.

Why Work with a Florida Independent Insurance Agent?

In order to get the protection you need and deserve, you’ll want to work with a trusted expert. And who could be better for the job than a local agent who shares your area code? Independent insurance agents act as your own personal insurance shoppers, offering you tons more options than one-policy companies. With just one call, they’ll hook you up with multiple quotes.

Florida independent insurance agents are armed with knowledge on what coverage is needed in your area, and they’ll get you set up with just enough of it — not too little, not too much. They’ll handle all the heavy lifting so you can rest assured you’ll be set up with the right coverage at the right price.

They’re not just there at the beginning either. If disaster strikes, your Florida agent will be there to help walk you through the claims process and make sure you’re getting the benefits you're entitled to. Now that’s thinking ahead.