What is flood insurance?

Flood insurance¹ helps cover physical damage to your home and belongings from floods or related losses from rising water. You can purchase a policy online from Beyond Floods through National General, an Allstate company, or you can purchase a policy online through a government-run National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Do I need flood insurance?

Yes, you should consider getting flood insurance to protect your home and your personal belongings in the event of a flood. Although some home lenders don’t require flood insurance, FEMA recommends flood insurance for every home in the U.S.

When you purchase an NFIP flood policy through an Allstate agent, you're helping to protect yourself from the financial burden flooding can cause. In fact, just one inch of water in a home can cost more than $25,000 in damage. Instead of paying out of pocket or taking out loans to cover your expenses, flood insurance can help make the recovery process quicker, easier and less costly.

What's covered by flood insurance?

When it comes to flood insurance, you can choose from two types of coverage: building property (structure) and personal property (contents).

Building property coverage
Provides coverage for the physical structure of your home or non-resident property, including electrical and plumbing systems, refrigerators, window blinds and more.

Personal property (contents) coverage
Provides coverage for the items inside your home, like clothing, furniture, microwaves and televisions, at their value at the time of loss.

Flood insurance options

Beyond Floods

Private flood insurance offered by National General, an Allstate company.
get a Beyond Flood quote

National Flood Insurance Program

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is a federal program administered by FEMA.
get an NFIP quote

What’s the difference between Beyond Floods and NFIP?

Beyond Floods National Flood Insurance Program
Type of insurance Private
(National General, an Allstate company)
Government
(FEMA-backed, subsidized)
Waiting period Loan closing
0-day wait
All other
7-day wait
Loan closing
0-day wait
All other
30-day wait
Types of buildings that can be covered Residential
Single family
Residential buildings and units
Single family or multi-unit (e.g., townhouse, condo)

Non-residential/commercial
Maximum payout for structure Residential
Up to $1.5M
Residential
Up to $250,000/single family home or condo unit

Non-residential/commercial
Up to $500,000
Maximum payout for contents
(your belongings)
Residential
Up to $750,000

Residential
Up to $100,000

Non-residential/commercial
Up to $500,000

Basement coverage Yes Limited
Displacement costs
(expenses you have while you can’t live at home)
$5K minimum; up to $150K None
Price Get a Beyond Flood quote Get an NFIP quote
Payment/billing options Direct and Lender-billed options:
  • Annual
  • Semi Annually
  • Quarterly
  • Monthly
Annual only

protect your home from nature’s uncertainties

Floods are usually unexpected and unpredictable. Protect what matters most with a flood insurance policy. Get an online quote for Beyond Floods or talk to an agent about NFIP.

What's not covered by flood insurance?

While there’s a lot that flood insurance covers, here are a few examples of what may not be covered:

  • Damage caused by moisture, mildew or mold that could have been avoided by the property owner
  • Currency, precious metals and valuable papers like stock certificates
  • Property and belongings outside of a building like trees, fences and swimming pools
  • Living expenses like temporary housing

Flood insurance FAQs

No. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. Flood insurance must be purchased separately.

No. Flood insurance policies typically have a waiting period (usually 30 days) before coverage takes effect, so you can’t buy it once a storm is already approaching.

Private flood insurance often provides higher coverage limits, broader protection, and more flexibility than the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

  • NFIP coverage caps at $250,000 for the structure and $100,000 for contents
  • NFIP does not cover belongings stored in basements
  • Private policies may offer higher limits, better contents coverage, and shorter waiting periods

You can check your flood zone using FEMA’s Flood Map. These maps identify whether your home is in a high-risk zone (A or V) or a low- to moderate-risk area.

Yes. Every property has some flood risk—only the level of risk changes.

  • 1 in 3 flood insurance claims come from low- and moderate-risk zones
  • “Undetermined risk” doesn’t mean no risk—it means the analysis isn’t complete
  • Flood zones and maps change, so it’s smart to review your risk annually

While flood insurance may not be legally required outside high-risk zones, it is strongly recommended to ensure faster recovery and financial protection after a flood.

you're in good hands®