Your homeowners policy does not cover flood. Protect your home and belongings.
Building: The structure and foundation, electrical and plumbing, heating and air conditioning, water heaters and built-in appliances
Contents: Your belongings, such as furniture, clothing and electronics, bought as separate coverage
Storm Surge: Water pushed ashore by a hurricane counts as flood, not wind
Not Covered: Cars, which fall under auto comprehensive, and temporary living costs under NFIP policies
Why it matters here, how it works, and how to choose a policy
Standard homeowners, condo, renters and commercial property policies do not cover flood. In Southwest Florida that gap matters: much of the region is low and flat, Cape Coral alone has hundreds of miles of canals, and hurricanes can push storm surge inland along the coast and the Caloosahatchee River. Heavy summer rain can flood streets and yards even without a storm.
During a hurricane, wind and water are handled by different policies. Wind damage generally falls under your homeowners policy; storm surge and rising water fall under flood. Without a flood policy, surge damage is usually not covered at all, and federal disaster assistance is not guaranteed, is limited, and often comes as a loan that must be repaid.
FEMA's flood maps place every property in a zone. A and AE zones are high-risk areas; V and VE zones are coastal high-hazard areas that face wave action; X zones are moderate to low risk. If your home is in a high-risk zone and you have a federally backed mortgage, your lender will require flood insurance.
A lower-risk zone does not mean no risk. Many flood claims come from properties outside high-risk zones, where coverage often costs less. FEMA's current pricing method, Risk Rating 2.0, sets each NFIP premium from the property's own features, such as elevation, distance to water and cost to rebuild, rather than from the zone alone.
Cape Coral's community discount: Cities that go beyond FEMA's minimum floodplain rules can earn a discount on NFIP premiums for their residents through FEMA's Community Rating System. In November 2024 the City of Cape Coral announced it kept its Class 5 rating, which gives NFIP policyholders in the city a 25% discount. The class can change at FEMA reviews, so we check the current discount when we quote.
NFIP policies: The National Flood Insurance Program, run by FEMA, covers a home for up to $250,000 on the building and $100,000 on contents. Most new NFIP policies have a 30-day waiting period before coverage starts, with limited exceptions such as a policy bought when you take out a mortgage. Coverage is limited in basements and in enclosed areas below the lowest elevated floor of a raised home.
Private flood insurance: Private insurers also write flood coverage. Depending on the policy, it may offer higher limits, a shorter waiting period, or coverage for temporary living expenses, which NFIP policies do not include. Lenders generally accept private flood policies that meet federal requirements.
Excess flood: If your home would cost more than $250,000 to rebuild, excess flood coverage can add protection above an NFIP policy.
Condo owners should check what the association's master flood policy covers, and renters can buy contents-only coverage. Businesses can insure buildings and contents against flood too; see commercial insurance.
It is not required, but it is worth pricing. Flooding does not follow map lines, and lower-risk properties often pay less for coverage.
It may cover sudden water damage from inside the home, such as a burst pipe, but not flooding from rising water or storm surge.
Insuring a property in Fort Myers? See insurance in Fort Myers.
Send us the property address and, if you have one, your elevation certificate, and we will go over your options. Call (239) 439-2500 any time and Sarah, our AI assistant, will take your quote application, or use the form above.