Insurance Claim Navigator

Flood (rising water)

Damage from rising surface water, storm surge, or overflow — water that comes up from the ground rather than down through your roof.

⚠ Wind vs. flood — the separate-policy trap

Your homeowners policy does not cover flood — rising surface water and storm surge. Flood is only paid by a separate NFIP or private flood policy. Wind and wind-driven rain that enters through a storm-opened roof are a wind loss (usually covered); water rising from the ground is a flood loss (not covered without flood insurance). Insurers often deny by classifying a loss as flood — knowing which one you had, and proving it, is the whole ballgame.

What this usually means for coverage
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How to read the coverage note
This is a plain-language, general read on how this kind of loss is usually treated in Florida — not a ruling on your specific policy. Your declarations page and endorsements decide what you actually bought. Informational only, not legal advice.

⚠ Flood (rising water) is NOT covered by a homeowners policy. It requires a separate NFIP or private flood policy. This wind-vs-flood split is the single most common Florida coverage trap.

Your documentation checklist
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How this checklist works
Check off each document as you gather it. Your progress, loss date, and notes are saved only on this device — nothing is uploaded or sent to your insurer. Refreshing the page keeps your work; clearing it removes it for good.

Saved on this device only

Documents gathered

What this percentage means

The share of the checklist you have marked as gathered (0 of 4). It is a completeness gauge, not a score of whether your claim will be paid.

High-water-mark photos showing how high the water rose
Your separate flood policy declarations page (if you have one)
Room-by-room contents inventory with values
FEMA / NFIP claim number once filed

Date of loss

Why the loss date matters

Florida reporting windows run from when the damage happened. We show days elapsed so a looming deadline is impossible to miss. This date stays on your device.

Your private notes

Copy link shares only the claim type — never your checklist, dates, or notes. Those stay on this device.

Deadline — do not wait

Flood claims run on the FLOOD policy's own clock (NFIP proof-of-loss deadlines), separate from your homeowners deadlines — confirm both.

If this claim is denied, build your appeal here.

Verifiable record

guidance-receipt.log

$ navigator guidance --type flood
claim_type : Flood (rising water)
issued_at  : 2026-08-06T03:27:14.093Z
sha256     : f8bbd2714b6b7d6d491ccbbc81f1f67f822fafc1c2af7d67e9c6c2e17391cd8b
status     : record sealed — informational only

This SHA-256 fingerprints the exact guidance you were shown, so you can prove later what you read and when. Nothing is sent to your insurer; nothing is stored about you.

Ask AI

AI can be wrong. Not medical, legal, or financial advice.

Informational, not legal advice. Every policy is different — read your own declarations page and, for a disputed or high-value claim, talk to a licensed public adjuster or attorney. This tool does not contact your insurer or store your claim.

Claim type

Your documentation checklist?How this checklist worksCheck off each document as you gather it. Your progress, loss date, and notes are saved only on this device — nothing is uploaded or sent to your insurer. Refreshing the page keeps your work; clearing it removes it for good.

Verifiable record

Ask AI

Your documentation checklist
?
How this checklist works
Check off each document as you gather it. Your progress, loss date, and notes are saved only on this device — nothing is uploaded or sent to your insurer. Refreshing the page keeps your work; clearing it removes it for good.