Flood Insurance
Flooding is a serious risk in Florida due to the state’s geography and proximity to water, both inland and on the coast. Insurance to cover
this risk is not typically provided in a homeowner’s policy, so it must be purchased separately. Depending on a home’s location, flood
insurance may be a required purchase as a condition of a mortgage.
The Office has worked to expand Florida’s private flood insurance market, providing for more consumer choice and competition in the marketplace. Insurance companies writing in the private flood insurance market are currently writing primary or excess flood insurance outside of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Some of these companies write only a limited number of policies or only certain types of flood policies, such as for high value homes. The coverage can be written as a stand-alone flood policy or as an endorsement onto a homeowner’s policy.
A vast majority of flood insurance coverage is federally regulated and provided through the NFIP, which is administered through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). To qualify for flood insurance, a community must join the NFIP and agree to enforce sound floodplain management standards. When this happens, the residents in that community are allowed to participate in and purchase flood insurance coverage through the NFIP.
Additional Flood Insurance Resources and Contacts:
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
1-888-FLOOD29 or 1-888-356-6329
www.floodsmart.gov
Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Consumer Services
1-877-693-5236 (toll-free in Florida)
1-850-413-3089 (outside of Florida)
www.myfloridacfo.com/Division/Consumers/