Flood Insurance
Because Water Doesn’t Always Stay Where It Belongs
You likely know how important it is to protect your home, its contents, and your livelihood from the usual risks—fires, windstorms, theft. But one risk that’s often overlooked is flooding. And the reality is: many standard homeowners, renters, or commercial property policies do not cover damage caused by flooding. floodsmart.gov+2Insurance.com+2
That’s where flood insurance comes in. This specialized coverage helps protect you when rising water, overwhelmed drainage, storm surge or other flood-events take hold. Being proactive means you’re better prepared—and you’re not relying on luck when water flows in.
Why Flood Insurance Matters
- Flooding can happen anywhere, not just in high-profile coastal zones. In fact, about one-third of claims under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) come from outside officially designated high-risk flood zones. floodsmart.gov+1
- Standard homeowners or renters insurance often excludes flood damage, meaning without dedicated flood coverage you may be on the hook for major repair, replacement, or cleanup costs. FEMA+1
For many property owners, flood damage doesn’t just mean water on the floor—it can mean destroyed appliances, ruined wiring and plumbing, damaged finishes, lost personal property, and the costs to rebuild. Flood insurance is the safeguard.
What Flood Insurance Covers
Depending on your policy (for example through the NFIP, or private-market flood policies) you’ll generally find coverage separated into two main parts: building coverage and contents coverage. floodsmart.gov+2agents.floodsmart.gov+2
Building Coverage typically includes:
- The structure of the property (walls, floors, foundation) and permanently installed items (for example built-in cabinets, paneling, drywall, permanently installed carpeting) agents.floodsmart.gov+1
- Plumbing, electrical, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems. floodsmart.gov+1
Appliances that are built-in, permanently installed features and some outbuildings (e.g., a detached garage, under certain limits). Insurance.com+1
Contents Coverage protects your belongings, such as:
- Furniture, electronics, rugs, washers/dryers, clothing, portable and window air-conditioners, microwaves. floodsmart.gov+1
Some valuable items (artwork, furs, jewelry) up to certain limits under the NFIP. floodsmart.gov+1
What Flood Insurance Does Not Cover
- Damage caused by water that originates from plumbing, appliances, leaks, or roof drips—unless defined as flood by your policy—may not be covered. Office of Public Insurance Counsel+1
- Many policies do not cover finished basements, certain basement contents, landscaping, swimming pools, decks, fences, septic systems, vehicles, or temporary living expenses. Redfin+1
- Standard flood-insurance policies may provide contents coverage on an actual cash value basis (which takes depreciation into account), meaning replacement may not be dollar-for-dollar in all cases. NerdWallet+1
Let’s review your situation together—your location, your building structure, your contents, your budget—and determine whether a flood insurance policy should be part of your protection plan. If you already have one, let’s verify it’s up-to-date and the coverage is still appropriate for your risk.
Our Affiliations
Neofes Insurance Group
704 McKnight Park Dr. Pittsburgh, PA 15237
jkaiser@neofesinsurance.com
Phone: (412) 364-3388
Fax: (412) 364-3412
Monday - Thursday 8:30 am - 6:00 pm
Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
The information provided on this website is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute insurance advice. Coverage cannot be bound, altered, or canceled via this website, email, voicemail, or online forms. All coverage is subject to the terms, conditions, and exclusions of the policy issued. Please speak with a licensed agent for specific coverage guidance.