Get Flood Nerd to help with purchasing flood insurance.

Government Flood Insurance is a Mess

Since the government established the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in 1968, most of the flood insurance coverage in the US has been administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). When the agency isn’t  busy cleaning up after tornados, fires, and floods they dabble in flood insurance. And they don’t do such a great job.

The NFIP is set to expire almost every year and as the latest of their extensions runs out. They’ve managed to rack up over $20B in deficits. Typical of a government operation, they way overcharge some people and undercharge others.

They lure developers to build in areas at high risk of flooding and then bail them out when the inevitable flood happens. 

If a gridlocked Congress doesn’t renew the NFIP regularly, there could be claims that never get paid. 

Enter the Alternative –  Private Flood Insurance

In 1983, the NFIP started the “Write Your Own” program. This allowed the major insurance companies like The Hartford, Allstate, State Farm, etc. to issue NFIP policies under their own logo. It was still the same mess, just with a new logo. That’s NOT real private insurance.

Then in 2012, Congress acted to allow private insurance companies to rate and write their own policies. And since late 2013, the private flood insurance market has been growing.

The NFIP generally overcharges 50% of the flood insurance property owners and undercharges the other 50%. No matter who you are, you probably are paying the wrong amount. 

No wonder the private flood insurance market is a popular option for government flood insurance.

But most insurance agents don’t understand private flood insurance because it is more complex than standard homeowner’s insurance. If you ask them to get you flood insurance, most will just give you one of those NFIP policies under their company logo. 

But Flood Nerds thrive on complexity. We love base flood elevations, floodplain maps, and the ins and outs of grandfathered flood zones. Flood Nerds know and understand the private insurance market. That’s how we can save people money with REAL private flood insurance.

Innovation Makes Private Flood Insurance Cheaper

The private flood insurance market is competitive and innovative. And they know how to use technology. Our government agencies aren’t really known for products that are competitive, innovative, or packed with technology unless it’s for the military. Right?

Because the NFIP had a monopoly until 2012 they didn’t even think about being innovative or using technology to create products that benefit the insurance-buying public. 

Nope, the NFIP solely relied on flood maps created by the Army Corps Of Engineers. And many of those maps are more than 50 years old. The NFIP program created a one size fits all plan that doesn’t fit almost anyone. 

FEMA’s idea of innovation is to have property owners pay $600 or more for a piece of paper called an Elevation Certificate that may or may not get you a better rate. Wow! Talk about innovation……not!

Private Flood Insurance Technology Uses Technology

The private flood insurance market threw out the old paper flood maps that FEMA uses exclusively. 

Private flood insurance companies innovate with technology. 

They use technology from satellites and aircraft to create maps that accurately reflect the topography of the land to better understand the risk of flooding. 

Then they take those maps and use computer models to create multiple flooding scenarios. This risk modeling stuff is way cooler than those old paper maps AND the private insurers get a more exact picture of how an area would flood. 

Technology lets the private insurers better determine where water is going to go and identify the properties that are really at the highest risk of flooding. 

USE TECHNOLOGY TO GET A FREE QUOTE FROM A FLOOD NERD TODAY

Better Flood Data Makes for Better Flood Insurance

With technology, the private flood insurance market can determine the real risk of flooding and calculate the actual cost of flood insurance. They save millions of homeowners and businesses money. 

Real data is really important to saving you significant money on your flood insurance.

Using a Flood Nerd to take your property data and shop the private flood insurance market is the best way to get the cheapest flood insurance available.

Get Fast, Better Coverage with Private Flood Insurance 

Paying lower prices for flood insurance is awesome. But the private flood insurance market has other benefits – you can get better coverage while saving money and you can get it fast.  

With over 40 private flood insurance companies to shop, Flood Nerds can tailor your coverage to your unique needs. 

The NFIP makes you wait 30 days for coverage. If you are buying a home that can really mess up your closing date!

Waiting periods for private flood insurance are as short as 10 days or 15 days and the Flood Nerds even know about options with no waiting period!

Your loan will close on time when you get Better Flood Insurance from the Flood Nerds.  

The private flood insurance market lets you cover more of your assets. And insurance is all about CYA (covering your ass-ets)

The NFIP only covers up to $250,000 for the building and $100,000 in contents.  

With some private flood insurance you can get coverage for:
• Actual replacement cost of the structure
• Temporary living expense coverage
• Basement contents (Limited but better then nothing)
• Pool repair/refill
• Higher coverage limits on detached structures

Private flood insurance offers higher coverage limits too – up to $2,000,000 for your home and $500,000 for your personal items. Not all policies cover all things. So tell your Flood Nerd what is important to you (maybe you don’t have a basement but need to cover the pool) and we’ll shop for the coverage you want.

Get a Free Quote from Flood Insurance shoppers – The Flood Nerds 

Better Flood Insurance starts with a free quote from the Flood Nerds.

Your personal Flood Nerd will shop the private flood insurance markets and then compare them to the NFIP and guarantee that you get the good option. We even have tricks in our pocket protectors to save with the NFIP coverage too.

Private Flood Insurance for Commercial Properties

As with a homeowner’s policy, most business insurance policies do not cover flooding. 

The only way to get coverage is with a stand-alone commercial flood insurance policy.

Businesses Have Two Options for Commercial Flood Insurance

1. Buy the government flood coverage with a limit of $500,000 for the building and $500,000 for the contents.
   
   

2. Buy a private flood insurance commercial policy.
   
   

   • Get broader coverage with higher limits.
     
     

   • Take advantage of business income or business interruption coverage. Historically flooding shuts down businesses for 64 days and many never come back. Dreams – washed away with the floodwaters.
     
     

About 25% of small businesses never reopen following a natural disaster.

Protect your business and inventory with private flood insurance.

Do Lenders Accept Private Flood Insurance? 

Just because the lender says the government requires you to have flood insurance doesn’t mean you have to buy government flood insurance. Your lender will absolutely accept private flood insurance shopped by the Flood Nerds. That’s because we only shop with insurance carriers that are  ‘A’ rated by AM Best, the folks in charge of insurance report cards.

Flood Nerds find you an good policy and a good price.

Private flood insurance companies comply with all government and FEMA guidelines. Your lender will approve your policy, and you’ll close on time. We can get a policy the same day we receive payment making the process of buying a property that requires flood insurance cost-effective and straightforward.

Private Flood Insurance Doesn’t Need an Elevation Certificate

Remember the private insurers aren’t relying on those dusty old and outdated paper maps. They use the latest technology to assess the rate. They don’t need no stinking badges or Elevation Certificates to determine the risk of flooding. 

This technology saves money for millions of NFIP policyholders.

There are over 40 flood insurance options, including the Lloyds of London insurance market. Shopping with or without an Elevation Certificate is confusing and time consuming. Get a Flood Nerd to do the work for you. Got an Elevation Certificate? Share it with a Flood Nerd for the good rate guaranteed!

Private Flood Insurance is the Alternative to Excess Coverage

NFIP only lets you buy $250,000 worth of coverage. With property values and the cost of rebuilding going up and up, $250,000 in coverage doesn’t go very far any more.

Before private flood insurance, if your NFIP policy was maxed out at $250,000 and your property was worth way more you had to buy Excess Flood coverage.

Now with a private flood insurance policy, all you need is one policy!

Private flood insurance can save up to 50% on the premium over the NFIP in certain situations. Private flood can be cheaper than NFIP, especially in the A and V flood zones.

On average, we find savings of $250 – $2,500 for residential flood insurance and unheard-of savings for commercial properties.

What’s Covered By a Private Flood Insurance Policy

Coverage from some private flood insurance market covers damage caused by rising water.

Standard private flood coverage
• The building that is listed on the policy.
• If the home is your primary residence, you may have coverage for loss of use
• Personal contents, which protects the property or possessions inside your home.
• For commercial properties, you can buy coverage for loss of use or loss of business. Tell your Flood Nerd to shop this coverage.
• It may include cleaning up/repairing the swimming pool

This coverage may sound like your standard homeowner policy coverage. But your homeowner’s policy excludes all damage from rising water.  

NFIP Penalty for Second Homes

Instead of congratulating you for owning a second property as an income producing property or a vacation home, the government flood insurance punishes you. The NFIP policy has different rates that are higher rates and added fees for a second home investment property.

Some private flood insurance does not penalize you for a second home. 

The NFIP does. If the property is in a flood zone, the NFIP policy automatically slaps on a $250 fee on top of the already high premium. This is wrong.

Private flood insurance companies do not charge a $250 penalty for an additional home. That is the right way to do business.

Private Flood Insurance Is the great for the A and V Flood Zone Maps

Private flood insurance is good option for properties that are in high-risk flood zone maps such as the A and V flood zone maps.

If your property has never had a flood loss before private flood insurance will cost less and provide even better coverage. 

Flood Nerds study all the ins and outs of flood insurance so let us get you a free, no-obligation quote today. We’ll even scope out the Lloyds of London syndicate for you. 

We have access policies that have been with us for 20 years. Check out our reviews.

Any Property Can Flood

Lenders require flood insurance when the structure is located in a “high risk” flood zone (flood zone AE, A, or flood zone VE, V).

But a house in any location can flood. 

Just because the mortgage company or bank doesn’t ask for flood insurance doesn’t mean you don’t need it. 

Wherever it rains, it can flood, and you don’t even need to be close to a lake, ocean, river, or creek for your house to flood. 

Every year, 25% of all flood claims are in areas that are not in the high-risk flood zones (A or V). 

Don’t feel a false sense of security because your structure is outside of a high risk area or your lender doesn’t require it. Feel real security with flood insurance. 

Disadvantages of Private Flood Insurance 

There are a few disadvantages of private flood insurance and it isn’t the good option for every situation. But, Flood Nerds know when private flood insurance makes sense and when it doesn’t. That’s why we shop all options to compare private and government prices. 

Deductibles often are higher on private flood policies than with the NFIP. Now some people think that is a downside, but honestly you NEVER want to turn in a small claim for loss under a flood policy. If you do that, you may be out of the private flood insurance market for 5 years or more. And when forced back into the NFIP it’s going to cost a small fortune over those years. 

With private flood insurance you run a small risk of having your policy non renewed because their underwriting parameters change. When Better Flood Insurance shops your policy, if this ever happens, we will find you another option or two. 

There are times when the NFIP has a better price than the private flood market. For example, if your policy is grandfathered for a prior flood zone, then the NFIP will subsidize the insurance policy. How do you know if this applies to your property? You ask a Flood Nerd. They know more about grandfathers than a nursing home!

Another significant reason to stay with the NFIP has to do with flood zone map changes. If your policy moves into a high-risk flood zone you can get a subsidy for part of the premium if you act fast. And Flood Nerds operate at the speed of light. And if you can get one of these subsidized policies, you can even transfer it when you sell the house.

Can You Afford to be Uninsured or Underinsured? 

The average flood insurance claim is $46,000. If you don’t have that much money in savings, you are one flood away from financial disaster. You seem like a nice person, I would hate for that to happen to you.

That new iPhone may be nifty, but it won’t rebuild your home after a flood loss. Get flood insurance first and then get that new iPhone!

Flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster.   

Here’s the cost of flood damage from recent floods

HURRICANE HARVEY 2017
Number of Claims Paid: 76,257
Average Claim: $116,823

HURRICANE KATRINA 2005
Number of Claims Paid: 166,790
Average Claim: $97,474

TORRENTIAL RAIN LOUISIANA 2016
Number of Claims Paid: 26,976
Average Claim: $91,507

TEXAS FLOODING MAY – JUNE 2015
Number of Claims Paid: 6,709
Average Claim: $67,463

SUPERSTORM SANDY 2012
Number of Claims Paid: 132,360
Average Claim: $66,517

TORRENTIAL RAIN SEPTEMBER 2009 GEORGIA
Number of Claims Paid: 2,067
Average Claim: $60,107 

HURRICANE IKE 2008
Number of Claims Paid: 46,701
Average Claim: $57,866

HURRICANE IVAN 2004
Number of Claims Paid: 28,154
Average Claim: $57,097

TORRENTIAL RAIN TENNESSEE 2010
Number of Claims Paid: 4,114
Average Claim: $55,974

LATE SPRING STORMS JUNE 2011
Number of Claims Paid: 2,433
Average Claim: $55,326

FLORIDA FLOODING APRIL 2014
Number of Claims Paid: 2,134
Average Claim: $51,703

TORRENTIAL RAIN TEXAS 2016
Number of Claims Paid: 4,748
Average Claim: $50,392

SOUTH CAROLINA FLOODING OCTOBER 2015
Number of Claims Paid: 3,876
Average Claim: $46,697

HURRICANE IRMA 2017
Number of Claims Paid: 21,920
Average Claim: $48,095

MIDWEST WINTER STORMS 2015
Number of Claims Paid: 2,169
Average Claim: $40,552

COLORADO FLOODING SEPT 2013
Number of Claims Paid: 1,734
Average Claim: $39,625

HURRICANE MATTHEW 2016
Number of Claims Paid: 16,586
Average Claim: $39,455

TROPICAL STORM ALLISON 2001
Number of Claims Paid: 30,671
Average Claim: $36,028

PENNSYLVANIA, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK FLOODS JUNE 2006
Number of Claims Paid: 6,428
Average Claim: $35,671

SOUTH CAROLINA FLOODING LATE WINTER SEVERE STORMS 2016
Number of Claims Paid: 4,751
Average Claim: $34,729

HURRICANE IRENE 2011
Number of Claims Paid: 44,314
Average Claim: $30,369