Does homeowner’s insurance cover flood damage?

Standard homeowners insurance excludes flood damage entirely, which is why flood coverage has to be purchased separately, typically through the National Flood Insurance Program or a private flood carrier. This gap catches many Lowcountry buyers off guard, since a policy that covers wind damage from a hurricane will still deny a claim for rising water from the same storm. Whether flood coverage is required depends on the property's flood zone designation and whether the loan is federally backed. Brian Beatty can flag a specific property's flood zone status early so a buyer budgets for this separate policy.