The typical homeowners insurance policy doesn't cover floods. Thankfully, homeowners can buy flood insurance policies through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or private providers.
We researched and reviewed 16 flood insurance companies based on plan options, pricing, coverage, customer experience, and AM Best financial stability rankings. Here are the best seven companies for your different needs.
The 7 Best Flood Insurance Companies of 2023
- Best Overall: GEICO
- Best Commercial Flood Insurance: The Flood Insurance Agency
- Best Online Option: Assurant
- Best for Customer Service: FloodSimple Insurance Services
- Best for Veterans: USAA
- Best for Comprehensive Coverage: Neptune
- Best Affordable Option: Better Flood Insurance
BEST OVERALLGEICO
With its impressive financial strength to support its claims, high customer satisfaction ratings, and online quoting and policy access tools, GEICO sits at the top of the heap as the best flood insurance company overall.
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Online quote calculator
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Claims can be filed through phone
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Discounts if combined with auto or homeowner's insurance
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A mobile app where users can get a quote
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Uses third-party companies to underwrite policies
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A limited number of discounted offers
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Cost depends on the exact partner company they cooperate with
Thanks to its solid financial strength and customer experience reputation, GEICO has topped other flood insurance companies as our overall best.
GEICO was established during the Great Depression of 1936 to insure government employees and military personnel. In fact, its full name is Government Employees Insurance Company. Since 1996, it has been an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway.1 GEICO boasts an AM Best rating of A++ (Superior), an AA+ rating from Standard & Poor’s, and an Aa2 rating from Moody’s.2
GEICO hires local agents to sell their services, ensuring that clients get the advantage of having local knowledge on their side. You can get an online quote to check the cost of your flood insurance or call to speak to a live agent. To report a claim, you’ll call a live agent at your GEICO partner carrier’s company.
Writing policies nationwide, the typical cost for a single-family primary residence to have a coverage of $100,000 building flood insurance with $40,000 content insurance is $439 per year. Insuring only your home’s content from flood damage up to $100,000 would cost $346 per year.
Policy costs will vary based on whether you live in the home all year or only partially, whether you rent it out to others, or if you’re insuring a commercial property.
GEICO’s coverage will not include carpet and personal property that you keep in the basement. If your home is fully or partially located above water, you won’t qualify for a policy from them. For example, if you have a home that sits on stilts or pilings over the water at the ocean, a river, or a lake, it won’t qualify for GEICO’s flood insurance policy.
BEST COMMERCIAL FLOOD INSURANCEThe Flood Insurance Agency
The Flood Insurance Agency’s (TFIA) transparency makes it best for commercial flood insurance. You can see what they do and do not cover, estimate your costs with a robust online calculator, and tailor your coverage beyond the NFIP’s limitations, getting equal or better coverage for less money.
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Coverage nationwide except in Kentucky and New York
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Online estimate calculator
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More coverage than NFIP provides for less money
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Rate-lock programs available
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Not available for properties located in Coastal Barrier Resource Act (CBRA) areas, non-participating FEMA communities, mobile homes, or condominium units
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Does not cover properties that have experienced more than one flood loss within the past five years
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Does not cover property designated by FEMA as a Severe Repetitive Loss property
With TFIA, you can insure your commercial building and contents against flood with an online calculator that promises as much protection, or often more, than the NFIP policy permits, for a lower price.
The Flood Insurance Agency is the program administrator for Lexington Insurance, a member of AIG. The company has insured over $4.5 billion dollars of property values.3 TFIA benefits from AIG’s financial security and its A+ S&P rating and A rating from AM Best.4
The Flood Insurance Agency insures commercial buildings, residential investment properties like apartment buildings that investors and lenders consider “commercial,” and personal residences. Commercial property investors who own apartment buildings would find TFIA a great fit because they can tailor the coverage for the building itself, which lets renters carry the apartment contents coverage.
You can get a quote online or call the toll-free number for live help. Customers rate their experience with TFIA agents very highly.
Once you have a policy, you can pay your renewal, request an endorsement for your policy, and request a policy cancellation online. You can’t submit a claim online, but they do have a page dedicated to submitting a claim by phone and by email, plus other resources and clear, step-by-step guidance to get you through a difficult flood event. TFIA writes policies nationwide except in Kentucky and New York.
We quoted a large commercial building in a medium-sized city with an “A” flood zone rating, $5 million replacement cost of the building, $500,000 replacement cost for the contents, $10,000 deductible, and a one-year premium. The quote totaled $31,896 annually.
Factors that will affect your commercial flood insurance quote with TFIA are the building’s location, foundation type, the replacement cost of the building and contents, the amount of coverage and deductible you choose, and the type of premium you want: a one-year premium, a rate lock, or a multi-year pre-paid premium.
There are some scenarios that TFIA does not cover. If your building is in a Coastal Barrier Resource Act (CBRA) or non-participating FEMA community, your building won’t qualify. If the building has suffered more than one flood in the last five years or has been designated by FEMA as a Severe Repetitive Loss Property, TFIA will not be able to provide flood insurance.
BEST ONLINE OPTIONAssurant
Assurant takes online service to the next level with a streamlined way to file a claim online. You can also pay your renewal, view policy information, or choose an advance payment option. For these robust online services, we chose Assurant as our best flood insurance company for online services.
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Over 100 years of experience
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Online portal to file a claim
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Underwrites for other admired flood insurance companies like GEICO
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Choose online or telephone service
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Higher number of customer complaints
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Higher policy costs
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Slow claim service response time
Every year, more consumers want to enjoy the convenience of online shopping and customer service, and insurance companies are no exception to this. Assurant keeps in mind these expectations and creates their services with an online approach, which is why we picked it as the best if you prefer a largely online experience.
Assurant Insurance is one of the more longstanding insurance companies. It opened its doors in 1892, starting with disability insurance and gradually expanding its services to include flood, homeowners, rental, casualty, and device protection insurance.5 The company has an A (Excellent) rating with AM Best.6
Claims can be filed online or by phone. Assurant supplements its online services with local independent insurance agents if you prefer, and its best tool is its online service that operates 24/7. While you can’t get an online quote through their website, there is a short contact form to have an agent call you. Once you have a policy, you can do more with Assurant online than with any other company, including filing claims, making payments, and adjusting your policy.
Assurant is one of the flood insurance providers for GEICO, so the rates are the same as we listed above. The typical cost of a $100,000 building flood insurance policy with $40,000 content insurance for a single-family home is $439 per year.
Assurant offers an innovative program called FlexCash. It’s an add-on for up to $10,000 in discretionary funds paid before a claim is processed, for things like travel and hotel expenses as a result of your displacement.
BEST FOR CUSTOMER SERVICEFloodSimple Insurance Services
FloodSimple Insurance Services receives high ratings from customers for conveniences like instant quote estimates online, making it our choice for the best customer service.
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Highest consumer ratings on the web
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Instant quoting tool online
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Policies in 41 states
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The company’s stated purpose is to make buying flood insurance drastically easier
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Nine states not eligible for policies
FloodSimple understands today’s consumer wants instant and knowledgeable service, with online tools and guides to quickly find answers 24/7. This insurer delivers on that very well with instant quotes and an instant flood zone lookup for your property. Consumers have responded with the highest online ratings making it the best choice for customer service.
Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, since 2013 and backed by Lloyd’s of London, FloodSimple Insurance Services combines highly rated customer service with financial strength.7 They offer flood insurance for commercial buildings and residential flood insurance for owner-occupied and renter-occupied houses, condos, duplexes, townhouses, and triplexes. The company is best for owners of these types of residential properties because they can be quoted quickly and can save you even more money if you combine it with their homeowner's insurance policy.
Only commercial properties require you to talk to an agent. The residential properties can all be quoted online in less than five minutes. In fact, you can get an instant estimate in less than five seconds. After you buy a policy, most of your communication with them will be by phone or email. There is no account management online.
According to customer service reviews, filing a claim is easy. You can call or email your service agent to start the process. They walk you through each step, detailing what pictures to send, how to record damages, and more. FloodSimple writes policies in 41 states.
In a low- to medium-risk flood zone with $100,000 of coverage, your flood insurance will cost between $360 and $400 annually. Other factors that will impact your policy cost include the building’s address, foundation type, size, property type and use, and whether the property has ever had a flood before.
FloodSimple does not have any specific exclusions or inclusions other than not requiring an elevation certificate. The company uses computer scoring and underwriters who evaluate each property individually.