Most homeowners policies exclude flood. The right program closes that gap deliberately.
Flood insurance is excluded from nearly every homeowners policy in the country. Coverage is available through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and through a growing private flood market that often offers higher limits, broader coverage, and competitive pricing. The right structure depends on your flood zone, your home’s elevation, your contents, and your basement or finished lower-level exposure.
Most flood programs aren’t underpriced. They’re under-built. Coverage placed on the NFIP without comparing the private market, NFIP base limits ($250K dwelling) that don’t match higher-value homes, missing or sublimited contents coverage, no replacement cost on contents, and gaps for basement contents that the NFIP doesn’t cover — these are the issues that show up only after the water has come up.
At Avanti Group, we run a Residential Risk Audit™ before we recommend any flood program. We map your flood zone, your elevation, your home’s value, and your specific exposure — and compare NFIP and private flood markets to find the right structure.
Who Should Carry Flood Coverage
We place flood coverage for homeowners across Iowa and the Midwest, including:
- Homeowners in identified flood zones (FEMA-designated SFHA)
- Homeowners with mortgages requiring flood coverage
- Anyone near rivers, creeks, lakes, or low-lying drainage areas
- Homeowners with finished basements or below-grade living space
- Higher-value homeowners whose dwelling exceeds NFIP base limits
- Anyone who has experienced flooding in the area, regardless of zone
The Coverage We Evaluate
A complete flood program may include:
- NFIP Coverage — up to $250K dwelling and $100K contents on residential properties, with replacement cost on the dwelling
- Private Flood Coverage — higher limits (often to full home value), replacement cost on contents, broader perils, and competitive pricing
- Excess Flood — additional limits sitting above NFIP for higher-value homes
- Replacement Cost on Contents — available through private market; NFIP pays actual cash value on contents
- Basement & Below-Grade Coverage — expanded coverage available through private market for finished basements
- Loss of Use / Additional Living Expense — living expenses during a covered flood; routinely missing on NFIP
What Most Flood Programs Get Wrong
NFIP is treated as the only option. The private flood market has expanded significantly and often provides higher limits, broader coverage, and replacement cost on contents. We compare both at every placement.
Limits don’t match home value. The NFIP caps at $250K dwelling, which leaves significant exposure on higher-value homes. Excess flood or private flood is needed to fill the gap.
Contents coverage is undersized or actual cash value. NFIP pays ACV on contents, which dramatically reduces the recovery on a serious loss. Private flood often offers replacement cost.
Finished basements are largely uncovered under NFIP. NFIP covers very little below-grade. Owners with finished basements should evaluate private flood for that exposure.
How to Get Started
Flood insurance isn’t a commodity product. The right program depends on your flood zone, your home, your contents, and your specific exposure. We need to understand your situation before we can build the right program for it.
Call our office or use the button below to start a conversation. We’ll review your current coverage, identify any gaps, and let you know exactly where you stand before we ever go to market.