Flood Insurance | FEMA.gov

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is administered by FEMA and provided to the public by a network of more than 50 insurance companies and NFIP Direct.

Flooding can happen anywhere – just one inch of flood water can cause up to $25,000 in damage. Most homeowner’s insurance does not cover flood damage. Flood insurance is a separate policy that can cover buildings, building contents, or both, so it’s important to protect your most important financial assets—your home, your business, your possessions.

The NFIP provides flood insurance to property owners, renters and businesses, and having this coverage helps them recover more quickly when floodwaters recede. The NFIP works with communities that are required to adopt and implement flood management regulations that help mitigate the effects of flooding.

Flood insurance is available to anyone living in one of the nearly 23,000 participating NFIP communities. Homes and businesses in high flood risk areas with mortgages from government-backed lenders must have flood insurance.

For more information on what’s covered and to find policies, visit FloodSmart.gov.

Become a customer

How to buy flood insurance

To buy flood insurance, call your insurance company or insurance agent, the same person who sells your home or auto insurance. If you need help finding a provider, go to FloodSmart.gov/flood-insurance-provider or call NFIP at 877-336-2627.

Plan ahead, as there is usually a 30-day waiting period for an NFIP policy to take effect unless the coverage is mandatory, purchased under the requirements of a federally backed lender, or related to a community flood map change.

FloodSmart.gov

Become a seller and servicer

Work with NFIP

FEMA administers the NFIP, and it is a partnership between the federal government, the property and casualty insurance industry, states, local governments, lending institutions, and property owners.

Each year, more than 50 private insurance companies participate in the Write-Your-Own (WYO) program, selling and servicing NFIP policies through their insurance agents.

FEMA retains responsibility for the underwriting of flood insurance coverage sold under this program and by NFIP Direct. There are more than five million policyholders nationwide, and the NFIP is the nation’s largest single-line insurance program, providing nearly $1.3 trillion in flood coverage.

NFIP Direct

Flood Insurance Resources

NFIP offers a wide range of publications, videos, graphics and online tools to help policyholders, agents and other servicers navigate the flood insurance process before, during and after a disaster.

Digital resources can be downloaded and certain print publications can be ordered free of charge using the publications order form.

Find an insurance form

Insurance publications

Flood Insurance Fact Sheets

Work with NFIP

We provide reports on the financials of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and offer guidance on day-to-day operations for existing and new NFIP vendors and servicers. Find information about the Write-Your-Own program, reinsurance, the NFIP pricing approach, plus the Flood Insurance Guide and other tools.

See all programs and tools

Contact