Flood Insurance
NFIP and private flood coverage for Texas coastal homes
Flood insurance for Texas coastal homes
Homeowners insurance and windstorm insurance do not cover flood damage. On the Texas coast, where hurricanes bring storm surge and tropical storms can drop feet of rain in a few days, a separate flood policy is the only way to protect your home and belongings from rising water. We help homeowners from Brownsville to Port Arthur compare National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) coverage with private flood options.
You don't have to live in a flood zone to flood
Storm surge, overflowing bayous and rivers, and heavy rain that overwhelms drainage can all flood homes outside mapped high-risk areas. Hurricane Harvey in 2017 flooded thousands of Texas homes outside high-risk flood zones. If your home is near the coast, a bay, a bayou, or a river, flood coverage is worth serious consideration even if your lender does not require it.
What flood insurance covers
- Building coverage: the structure, foundation, electrical and plumbing systems, HVAC equipment, water heaters, built-in appliances, and permanently installed flooring and cabinets.
- Contents coverage: your belongings, such as furniture, clothing, and electronics. Contents coverage is purchased separately from building coverage.
Through the NFIP, homeowners can buy up to $250,000 in building coverage and $100,000 in contents coverage. Homes in high-risk areas that are substantially damaged may also qualify for up to $30,000 in Increased Cost of Compliance coverage to help bring the home up to current floodplain rules. Coverage for areas below the lowest elevated floor of an elevated home, and in basements, is limited, so ask us how this applies to a raised coastal home.
NFIP or private flood insurance?
The NFIP is the federal flood program, and its coverage and limits are set by law. Private flood insurers set their own terms and may offer higher limits or additional coverages for some homes. Because pricing and eligibility vary, we compare both so you can choose the coverage that fits your home and budget.
Don't wait: the 30-day rule
An NFIP policy generally takes effect 30 days after you buy it. There are exceptions. There is no waiting period when the policy is purchased in connection with making, increasing, extending, or renewing a mortgage, and a one-day wait can apply when a flood map change puts your home in a high-risk area and you buy within 12 months. The safest plan is to buy flood coverage well before hurricane season, not when a storm is already in the Gulf.
Flood insurance and TWIA
If you rely on the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) for wind and hail coverage, flood insurance may be required. TWIA requires proof of flood insurance for certain properties in V flood zones that were built, altered, remodeled, or enlarged on or after September 1, 2009. Learn more about Texas windstorm insurance.
What affects the cost of flood insurance?
According to FEMA, your flood insurance rate is based on where your home is located, how it is built, and what it would cost to rebuild, so every home's premium is different. Elevation, distance to water, foundation type, and the coverage and deductible you choose all play a role. An elevation certificate can be helpful when we quote your home.
Protect your whole home
Most coastal homeowners need three coverages working together: homeowners, windstorm, and flood. See how they fit on our coastal Texas home and windstorm insurance page, or request a flood insurance quote.
Texas Flood Insurance FAQs
No. Standard homeowners policies and windstorm policies do not cover flood damage from rising water, including storm surge. You need a separate flood insurance policy through the National Flood Insurance Program or a private flood insurer.
It is strongly recommended on the Texas coast. Flooding from heavy rain, storm surge, and overflowing bayous can reach homes outside high-risk zones, as Hurricane Harvey showed in 2017. Lenders generally require flood insurance for homes in high-risk zones with federally backed mortgages, but anyone in a participating community can buy it.
An NFIP policy generally takes effect 30 days after purchase. There is no waiting period when it is bought in connection with a mortgage closing or loan change, and a one-day wait may apply after a flood map change if you buy within 12 months. Buy coverage well before a storm threatens.
Yes. Storm surge is flooding, so it is covered by flood insurance, not by homeowners or windstorm insurance. That is why coastal homeowners usually need both windstorm and flood coverage.
Homeowners can buy up to $250,000 in building coverage and up to $100,000 in contents coverage through the NFIP. Private flood insurance may offer higher limits for homes that need more coverage.
For some homes, yes. TWIA requires proof of flood insurance for certain properties in V flood zones that were built, altered, remodeled, or enlarged on or after September 1, 2009.
It depends on your home. FEMA bases flood rates on where the home is located, how it is built, and what it would cost to rebuild, so premiums vary widely from one home to the next. Send us your address and we will compare NFIP and private flood options for you.
Start your quote online or contact our office to find out how we can help you find a policy that fits your needs.