What is covered by national Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policies?

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) provides flood insurance coverage for specific types of damage resulting from flooding. Among the aspects covered are structures and contents within a dwelling that are directly affected by floodwaters. However, sewer backup is not covered under standard NFIP policies. Instead, the NFIP primarily focuses on rising floodwaters as a cause of damage.

The NFIP generally covers the building and its foundation, utilities, and certain personal property when these are damaged due to the flooding of land that is normally dry. This means that while damage from floodwaters is covered, other issues like sewage backups typically require separate policies or endorsements for adequate protection.

In contrast to coverage for damage caused by floodwaters, loss of rent from a dwelling, personal belongings lost in transit, and accidental injury on the property fall outside the specific protections offered by NFIP. Loss of rental income and personal belongings that are not within an insured building during a flood incident are not considered covered losses within the NFIP framework, and liability for injuries on the property would be managed under different types of insurance, such as a general liability or homeowners policy.

Thus, while it may seem logical to view sewer backup as a flood-related issue, the NFIP distinguishes between flood damage from external