Does homeowner’s insurance cover flood damage?

Standard homeowners insurance excludes flood damage, which requires a separate flood policy, most often through the National Flood Insurance Program or a private flood carrier. Even homes outside a mapped flood zone can flood, so the exclusion applies regardless of where a property sits. Lenders typically require flood coverage only when a home is in a designated flood zone, but buying it voluntarily elsewhere is still worth pricing out. Ask your insurance agent whether your specific property carries that exposure.