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Protect Your Home: A Guide to Buying FEMA Flood Insurance Many homeowners mistakenly believe their standard home insurance covers water damage from a flood. Unfortunately, most policies specifically exclude flooding. If you want to protect your property from rising waters, you typically need a policy through the , which is managed by FEMA .

Most FEMA policies have a 30-day waiting period before they go into effect. You cannot wait until a storm is in the forecast to buy coverage.

If your home's replacement value is higher than these limits, you may want to look into to provide "excess" coverage. 3. Why You Need It (Even If You Aren't in a "Flood Zone")

These are private insurance companies, such as Wright National , Assurant , and Allstate , that sell and service NFIP policies under their own names. The coverage terms and prices are the same as an NFIP Direct policy, but you might find it easier to bundle with your existing home insurance. 2. Coverage Limits

Relying on federal disaster grants is risky. FEMA disaster assistance is often limited to a few thousand dollars and is only available if a federal disaster is declared. In contrast, a flood insurance policy pays for your actual covered losses regardless of a disaster declaration. Flood Insurance | FEMA.gov

Here is everything you need to know about buying federal flood insurance. 1. How to Buy FEMA Flood Insurance