Flood Insurance for Sacramento & Central Valley Homes. NFIP and private quotes, side by side.
Your homeowners policy won't pay for flood damage. We quote the federal flood program and private flood carriers for your address, show you what each one pays for, and help you choose. Local agents in Citrus Heights and Fresno since 1999.
Get Your Free Flood Quote
We'll look up your flood zone and quote both options.
Why Your Homeowners Policy Won't Pay for a Flood
Homeowners policies exclude flood: water that rises from outside and covers ground that is normally dry. A burst pipe inside the house is a homeowners claim. Water coming in under the front door is a flood claim, and it needs its own policy.
Neighborhoods behind levees
Natomas, the Pocket, West Sacramento, and much of the city sit behind levees on the Sacramento and American rivers. A levee lowers the odds of flooding. When one is overtopped or breached, every home behind it floods at once.
Central Valley rivers
In April 2023, snowmelt pushed the Kings River high enough to bring evacuation warnings to eastern Fresno County. In Kings County, Tulare Lake refilled its old bed and kept farmland and roads underwater for months.
Atmospheric river storms
Storm series like the winter of 2022–23 can drop more rain than neighborhood storm drains can carry. Streets flood in places that no FEMA map marks as high-risk.
Burn scars in the foothills
Burned slopes shed rain fast, and heavy storms can send mudflow downhill for years after a fire. Homes below recent burn areas in El Dorado and Placer counties face a flood risk they didn't have before.
Fresno County's flood protection office notes that nearly 25 percent of flood insurance claims come from moderate- and low-risk areas.
Two Ways to Insure Against Flood
Most homes qualify for both. We quote both and show you the differences line by line.
| Feature | NFIP (FEMA) | Private flood |
|---|---|---|
| Who backs it | The federal government | A private insurance company |
| Building limit | Up to $250,000 | Higher limits available, which matters for homes that cost more to rebuild |
| Contents limit | Up to $100,000 | Higher limits available |
| How contents are paid | Actual cash value, meaning depreciated | Replacement cost available on some policies |
| Temporary housing | Not covered | Available on some policies |
| Waiting period | 30 days, or none when you buy at a loan closing | Set by each carrier, often shorter |
| Price | Set by FEMA and the same from every agent | Set by each carrier, so shopping matters |
| Lender acceptance | Accepted for every mortgage | Accepted when it meets the federal standard. We confirm with your lender first. |
Private policy terms vary by carrier. Your quote will show the actual limits, deductibles, and waiting period for your home.
What a Flood Policy Pays For
These are the standard NFIP terms. Private policies start from a similar list and often add to it.
Building coverage
- Foundation, walls, and staircases
- Electrical and plumbing systems
- Furnace, water heater, and central air
- Built-in appliances and cabinets
- Permanently installed carpet and paneling
- Detached garage, up to 10% of the building limit
Contents coverage
- Furniture, clothing, and electronics
- Washer, dryer, and freezer, plus the food inside
- Portable and window air conditioners
- Curtains and carpet laid over wood floors
- Original art and furs, up to $2,500
- Renters can buy contents coverage on its own
Not covered by the NFIP
- Hotel and living costs while you're displaced (some private policies add this)
- Cars, which fall under the comprehensive coverage on your auto policy
- Decks, fences, pools, and landscaping
- Cash, precious metals, and valuable papers
- Belongings stored in a basement
- Mold or moisture damage the owner could have prevented
When Flood Insurance Is Required, and When It's Smart
Required by your lender
If the home is in a FEMA high-risk flood zone (zones beginning with A or V) and the mortgage is federally backed or comes from a federally regulated lender, flood insurance is mandatory.
This usually surfaces during escrow, so the policy has to be in place by closing. A policy bought at closing skips the NFIP's 30-day wait. Buying your first home? Read our homebuyer insurance guide.
Worth a quote if
- Your home sits behind a levee or near a river, canal, or slough
- Your street has flooded in a heavy storm before
- You live downhill from a recent burn scar
- You rent and want your belongings covered (see renters insurance)
- Paying for flood repairs would mean draining savings or taking out a loan
Every Agent Charges the Same NFIP Rate.
We Show You the Private Quote Too.
FEMA sets NFIP prices, so the policy costs the same wherever you buy it. What changes from one agent to the next is whether anyone prices the private market alongside it, and whether a local office picks up the phone when you need to file a claim.
- NFIP and private flood quoted together, with the differences written out
- Flood coverage timed to your escrow closing so your lender signs off
- Home, auto, and flood handled by the same local agent
- In-person appointments in Citrus Heights and Fresno
How We Quote Flood Insurance
-
Send us the address
We look up the FEMA flood zone. If you have an elevation certificate, send it along, since it can lower an NFIP rate.
-
We quote NFIP and private
You get the federal rate and the private carriers that will write your home, priced for the same coverage.
-
Compare them side by side
Limits, deductibles, waiting period, and what each one pays for, laid out so the trade-offs are plain.
-
We set the start date
Buying a home? Coverage starts at closing. Otherwise it starts after the NFIP's 30 days or the private carrier's waiting period.
In the Central Valley, call our Fresno office at (559) 490-0574.
Buy Flood Insurance Before the Forecast Turns
NFIP coverage starts 30 days after purchase unless you're closing on a loan. Flood policies won't pay for a flood that is already under way when you buy.
Congress also has to renew the NFIP's authority from time to time. It has lapsed several times in recent years, and while it's lapsed, no new NFIP policies or renewals can be issued. Private flood insurance stays available during a lapse.
Flood Insurance Across Sacramento & the Central Valley
Flood Insurance: Frequently Asked Questions
Does homeowners insurance cover flood damage?
No. Standard California homeowners policies exclude flood, meaning water that rises from outside and covers normally dry ground: an overflowing river, a failed levee, or a street that fills during a storm. A burst pipe inside the house is usually a homeowners claim. Floodwater coming in under the door needs a separate flood policy.
Is flood insurance required in California?
Only by your lender, and only in certain cases. If the home is in a FEMA high-risk flood zone (zones beginning with A or V) and your mortgage comes from a federally regulated lender or is federally backed, the lender must require flood insurance. Everywhere else it is optional.
How much does flood insurance cost?
It depends on the individual property. FEMA prices each NFIP policy using its Risk Rating 2.0 method, which looks at distance to water, elevation, foundation type, and rebuilding cost. Private carriers use their own models, so their price can come in above or below the NFIP for the same house. The only way to know is to quote both, which we do at no charge.
Is there a waiting period for flood insurance?
NFIP policies take effect 30 days after purchase. There is no wait if you buy the policy as part of closing on, refinancing, or extending a mortgage. A one-day wait applies if your property was newly mapped into a high-risk zone and you buy within 12 months of the map change. Private flood policies set their own waiting periods, and many are shorter than 30 days.
Will my lender accept private flood insurance instead of the NFIP?
Usually, yes. Lenders accept private flood policies that meet the federal standard for private flood insurance. We confirm with your lender before you buy or switch, so nothing holds up your closing or triggers a force-placed policy.
Does flood insurance cover my car?
No. Flood policies exclude cars and most other vehicles. Flood damage to a car is covered by the comprehensive coverage on your auto policy, so check that your auto policy includes it.
Does flood insurance cover mudflow after a wildfire?
NFIP policies cover mudflow, which is the river of liquid mud that can follow heavy rain on burned slopes. They do not cover landslides. If a wildfire on federal land caused or worsened the flooding and you bought within 60 days of the fire's containment, the NFIP waiting period drops to one day.
Flood & Home Insurance Guides
- Home Insurance
Buy Flood Insurance Before Winter: The 30-Day Wait Explained
NFIP flood insurance takes 30 days to start, and NOAA expects a strong El Niño this winter. Why Sacramento and Central Valley homeowners should buy now.
- Home Insurance
Flood Insurance in California: What You Need to Know
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. Here's who needs flood insurance in California, what it covers, and where to get it.
- Home Insurance
First-Time Homebuyer Insurance in California: What You Need Before Closing
Buying your first home in California? Here's what homeowners insurance covers, what your lender requires, and how to get a policy before your closing date.
- Home Insurance
California Wildfire Home Insurance: A Homeowners Guide
California's home insurance crisis explained: what to do if you've been non-renewed, what the FAIR Plan covers, and how to find private coverage.
Ready to See How Much You Could Save?
- Compare quotes from 20+ top-rated carriers instantly
- Local California agents — real people, real answers
- Rated 4.8 on Google by our clients
- Same-day coverage for qualifying clients
- In-person consultations available by appointment — Citrus Heights & Fresno
Get a Free Quote Online
Fill out the form and an agent will contact you within 1 business hour.