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Starting a Claim

After a flood, your guidance and expertise can make all the difference in helping your clients return to their lives and rebuild their homes with confidence.

Share the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Claims Handbook as a helpful resource they can download and reference.

Insurance agent reviewing coverage and costs with client

Start a flood insurance claim

Starting a flood claim quickly and accurately is essential to getting recovery efforts underway. Use the initial conversation with your client to gather key details, set expectations and guide them through the claims process from start to finish.

  • A claim may need to be started with different insurers when there is damage from different sources, for example a hurricane can cause wind and flood damage.

  • You can also set expectations with clients about their coverage amount, deductibles and what is/isn’t covered under their policy.

  • Share the claims process fact sheet, so they can easily reference the stages of the claim process and better understand what to expect as they navigate their recovery.

  • Direct your clients to the How Do I Start My Flood Claim page for more details about the process.

Appeal a flood insurance claim

If some or all of your client’s flood claim is denied, make sure they understand their coverage, encourage them to continue working with their insurer and explore appeal options.

  • If your client’s flood insurance claim is denied or unresolved, they should keep working with their agent or carrier to find a resolution.

  • If your clients are still not satisfied, you can encourage them to explore other options, including appealing a claim.

FAQs about federal disaster assistance

Federal disaster assistance is another resource that may be available to elegible individuals separately from their flood insurance policy. Get answers to commonly asked questions. 

They are eligible when the President declares a disaster.

FEMA disaster assistance may help with expenses not covered by flood insurance. This can include:

  • Temporary Housing Assistance: Assistance is available for hotels and motels or to rent a property. Government-provided housing may be offered when rental resources are not available.
  • Home Repair: Assistance is available to repair disaster damages not covered by flood insurance.
  • Additional Financial Assistance: This includes medical, dental, funeral, transportation, moving, storage and other expenses that are authorized by law.

It’s important to inform your clients that they will need a denial letter from their property insurer as part of the application process since most homeowners insurance policies provide coverage for loss of use or temporary housing in certain circumstances.

The quickest way to register for FEMA assistance is online at DisasterAssistance.gov. If your clients do not have access to the internet, they can register by calling (800) 621-3362 or by visiting a local Disaster Recovery Center (DRC).

If your clients have questions about the Flood-in-Progress exclusion, view different scenarios to understand if their damage is covered.

Prepare for and recover from a flood event with the Claims Handbook 

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