Every homeowners policy sold in Louisiana excludes flood. Not limits it — excludes it. Water that rises from outside the house and gets in is a different policy, bought separately, usually from a different company.
People learn this in the worst possible way, which is why we lead with it.
“Flood” means something specific
The policy definition is narrower than the everyday word. Generally it means water that rises from outside and enters the structure — a river or bayou over its banks, storm surge, or surface water with nowhere left to go.
That is different from:
- A pipe that bursts inside the wall. Usually covered by homeowners.
- Wind-driven rain through a hole the storm made. Usually covered by homeowners, because wind made the opening.
- A sewer or drain backing up. Usually neither, unless you bought the water-backup endorsement — a cheap add-on that a lot of people skip.
After a hurricane, adjusters spend real effort deciding which of these caused which damage, because it decides which policy pays. This is one of the places an independent agent earns their keep: we know how to document it.
You do not have to be in a flood zone
Two facts that surprise people every year:
A meaningful share of NFIP claims come from outside high-risk zones. Baton Rouge in August 2016 was the demonstration — tens of thousands of homes that were never required to carry flood took on water.
If you’re not in a high-risk zone, it’s cheap. A preferred-risk policy for a low-risk address is one of the best values in insurance. If you have never priced it because you assumed it didn’t apply to you, price it. It takes us about ten minutes.
NFIP or private
NFIP, the federal program, is available almost everywhere, has standard limits ($250,000 building / $100,000 contents on a single-family home), and doesn’t care about your claim history the way a private carrier might. Its pricing now runs on Risk Rating 2.0, which prices your specific building rather than the zone it sits in.
Private flood has grown a lot. It can exceed NFIP’s limits, sometimes covers things NFIP won’t (additional living expenses, for instance), and on many properties comes in cheaper. It can also non-renew you in a way the federal program won’t.
We quote both. Which one is right depends on your elevation, your limits, and how much you care about renewal certainty.
The waiting period is the part people miss
An NFIP policy generally takes 30 days to take effect. You cannot buy flood insurance when there’s a storm in the Gulf and expect it to pay. There are narrow exceptions — one for a loan closing, one tied to a map change — and neither of them helps you in hurricane season.
Which means the right time to buy flood coverage is a quiet week in February.
Call us and ask what it costs at your address. If the answer is “not much,” you’ll have learned that at no cost. If the answer is “more than you thought,” you’ll have learned that before you needed it.
This is general information about how coverage typically works in Louisiana, not advice about your specific policy. Policy language, carrier practice, and state law all change, and yours may differ from what's described here. Your policy and its endorsements are the contract. For an answer that applies to you, send us your declarations page or call (225) 347-4185.Red Stick Insurance Agency · Louisiana licence #1260833 · NPN 22128563.