The most important decision in a flood claim happens before you file it: determining which policy covers your loss and why. Getting that wrong can mean no coverage at all.
Houston’s geography makes this distinction particularly important. Harvey-type rainfall events produce losses that often combine both sources: rising water from outside (flood) and internal plumbing or roof failures (homeowners). Each loss must be claimed separately, under the correct policy, with documentation that accurately establishes the source of each damaged area.
Storm surge, overbank flooding, sheet flooding from rainfall events. Coverage requires a separate flood policy — homeowners policies universally exclude flood. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is the most common source in this region; private flood carriers are increasingly available.
NFIP claims are handled by Write-Your-Own carriers under federal contract. The adjuster represents FEMA, not your insurer. NFIP claims also follow a rigid format governing how mitigation was performed, how the dryout was documented, and how the estimate was structured. Writing a flood estimate the way you would write a standard water damage estimate results in it being kicked back. We know the format NFIP expects and build claims to that standard from the start.
Water damage from a pipe failure, appliance failure, roof opening, or window failure is a homeowners claim. Rain that enters through a wind-damaged opening in the structure is typically covered as a wind claim — not a flood claim.
In a storm event where both sources contributed, separating flood damage from wind-driven rain intrusion is often the central documentation challenge. The line matters: flood damage goes to the flood policy, wind-driven intrusion goes to the homeowners policy.
Private flood policies allow structure limits above the NFIP cap of $250,000 — which matters for any home worth more than that. Private flood policies typically carry higher deductibles than NFIP but generally offer broader overall coverage. If NFIP is your only flood coverage and your home is worth more than $250,000, you are underinsured for a total flood loss.
NFIP policies are standardized under federal regulation. Unlike private homeowners policies, the coverage terms are not negotiable and do not vary between carriers. Knowing the structure before you file can prevent common documentation errors that reduce your recovery.
Building coverage and contents coverage are separate elections under NFIP. If you did not elect contents coverage, rising water losses to personal property are not covered. This surprises many policyholders at the time of a claim.
NFIP coverage for finished basement space is significantly limited. Flooring, walls, and most personal property in below-grade areas are excluded or sub-limited regardless of your overall coverage amount.
The NFIP does not cover Additional Living Expenses. If you are displaced by a flood, your homeowners policy may provide ALE if the displacement results from a covered cause under that policy — but NFIP itself provides no living expense benefit.
NFIP requires a signed and sworn Proof of Loss within 60 days of the flood event. The flood adjuster will typically present you with a Proof of Loss document for your signature. Do not sign it until you are confident it reflects the full value of your loss. It is significantly easier to dispute the amount before you sign than after. Contact us before that deadline if you have any question about the numbers.
An elevation certificate documents your property’s flood zone and base flood elevation. It affects your premium and can affect your building coverage calculation. If you don’t have one, your municipality may have it on file.
Building coverage under NFIP pays at replacement cost only if the building is insured to at least 80% of its replacement cost value and is the policyholder’s primary residence. Otherwise, the building is paid at actual cash value.
Fast-moving floodwater can rack a structure — pushing it out of plumb in ways that are not visible without specifically looking for them. This type of structural movement can affect door and window frames, wall-to-floor connections, and load-bearing elements. We document field conditions on every flood loss. When structural impact requires engineering verification and a formal repair methodology, we bring in a licensed structural engineer.
The initial claim review is at no charge. We will assess which policies apply, what each covers, and what documentation is needed to pursue both claims correctly. If you are uncertain whether your loss is a flood claim, a water damage claim, or a combination of both — that is a common situation after a major storm, and sorting it out is part of what the initial review is for.