Associates for Insurance Services
Flood Insurance
A separate policy for rising water, written through the NFIP or a private flood insurer, across North Carolina and South Carolina, including the coastline.
Bogue Sound in fog. Photo: Vancemiller, Public domain
What flood insurance covers
Flood insurance covers damage from rising water: storm surge off the sound and the inlet, overflowing creeks and rivers, and rain that has nowhere to go. It is its own policy because homeowners policies exclude it. In the words of the North Carolina Department of Insurance, "Homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage." Flood coverage is written through the National Flood Insurance Program or a private flood insurer, and we quote the routes that are available for the property, across North Carolina and South Carolina, including the coastline.
Why it matters
The Department of Insurance also notes that "The coverage involves a 30-day waiting period before the policy becomes effective; however, there are exceptions." A flood policy bought the week a storm is named is usually a policy that has not started yet. That is the reason to decide about flood coverage in the calm months.
Who it is for
Owners of a home, condo, mobile home or rental in Cedar Point, Cape Carteret, Emerald Isle, Swansboro, Newport, Morehead City or Atlantic Beach, inland owners along the rivers and creeks of either Carolina, properties outside a mapped high-risk zone, and anyone whose lender requires flood coverage as a condition of the mortgage.
Here, specifically
The flood zone on the current FEMA map decides whether a lender requires coverage and how an NFIP policy is rated. It does not decide whether water can reach a house. Bring an elevation certificate if you have one; we can start from the address if you do not.
What a policy can include
- Building coverage
- Contents coverage
- NFIP policies
- Private flood policies
- Coverage for second homes, mobile homes and rental properties
- Lender-required flood coverage
How a quote goes
- 01
A conversation first
What you are protecting, how it is used, and what has changed since the last policy was written.
- 02
We look at the options available
Not every insurer writes every risk. We identify the options that fit the property, the vehicle or the business, and compare them.
- 03
We read for gaps
Deductibles, exclusions and limits, not just the headline number, so nothing surprises you later.
- 04
Plain English, zero pressure
We walk you through what each option does and leave the decision with you.
Questions we get about flood insurance
How soon does a flood policy start?
Is flood insurance only for homes in a high-risk flood zone?
Do you write flood insurance in South Carolina?
Information is general in nature and may not reflect your specific situation. Contact us for guidance on your own policy.
Let's talk about your flood insurance.
A conversation about what you have and what your options look like, with zero pressure.