13 flast flood facts
13 Fast Flood Facts to Share with Your Clients

To successfully sell flood insurance, you need to keep your eye on the latest trends and data. We’ve collected a list of relevant statistics to help you better connect with your customers, help existing clients understand their risk and reach a new target audience. 

Think of this as a tiny cheat sheet to keep on hand when you need flood facts fast!

General flood facts 

  • Flooding is America’s most common and costly natural disaster.
  • 99% of U.S. counties have been impacted by a flooding event since 1996.
  • In most cases, it takes 30 days after purchase for a policy to take effect.
  • Flooding accounts for 40% of all natural disasters worldwide and causes about half of all deaths from natural disasters.
  • Over 22,000 communities participate in the NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program). You can buy federally backed flood insurance regardless of your flood zone hazard status if you live in a participating community.

The cost of flooding for families and businesses 

  • There are $2.4 billion in flood losses annually.
  • Just 1 inch of floodwater can cause roughly $25,000 in damage to an average size home.

Common misconceptions

  • People outside of high-risk areas file around 40% of NFIP claims.
  • Disaster assistance is only available after a presidential disaster declaration. 
  • Over a 30-year mortgage, the likelihood of flooding (in a 1% risk zone) is 26%.
  • Homeowners and renters' insurance typically does NOT cover flooding from natural disasters.
  • Commercial flood insurance policies can offer protection for a business’s structure, equipment, inventory and more –– but not all equipment is covered. 
  • NFIP policies generally have a 30-day waiting period after purchase before they take effect. 

For more details on the fast facts used above, visit:

You can’t control the weather. You can prepare for it.

As changing weather patterns increase disaster risks across the country, it is more important than ever to build community resilience through communication and awareness. You are the community’s trusted advisor who can help families understand their flood risk and their options for financial protection.

Use these fast flood facts to tell the flood risk story. 

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