What is Commercial Flood Insurance?

Commercial flood insurance is a flood insurance policy that can help to safeguard your commercial building and property from the effects of flooding. This form of commercial insurance can assist you in protecting your company's physical location and the contents within it. You may need to get commercial flood insurance as a separate policy contract since flood coverage is not typically included in a commercial property insurance plan.

The federal government is issuing commercial flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Congress established the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in 1968 to safeguard property owners from experiencing financial damages due to flooding.

What Does Commercial Flood Insurance Cover?

If your business or commercial property is damaged by floodwater, commercial flood insurance may be able to assist you in covering the expenses of the repairs. In the list below, we outline the coverage provided by a business flood insurance policy for both the building and the contents coverage.

Commercial Flood Insurance Building coverage

• Building foundation, stairs, walls, and anchorage systems.
• Solar systems and the equipment.
• Plumbing and electrical systems.
• Permanently installed carpets, cabinets, bookcases, and paneling.
• Windows and detached garages.
• Pumps, fuel tanks, and well tanks.
• Water heaters and furnaces.

Commercial Contents Coverage

• Valuable items, currency, and precious metals.
• Personal items, like furniture or clothes.
• Curtains, portable and window air conditioners.
• Carpets that are not covered under building coverage like carpets installed over wood floors.

What is not covered under Commercial Flood Insurance?

You should be aware if the cause of flood are covered under your policy or not covered. A flood, according to the National Flood Insurance Program, is defined as an excess of water on land that is ordinarily dry that either impacts or is affected by the following:

• At least two properties.
• At a minimum of 2 acres of land.

If your commercial property is damaged due to a sump pump backup that was not triggered by flooding, your commercial flood insurance coverage will not cover the loss.  This would typically be covered by your commercial hazard insurance.

Commercial flood insurance does not cover all types of property damage claims. This insurance coverage does not cover any commercial property outside of your premises. In addition, the commercial flood insurance policy will not cover the following;

• Financial losses due to business interruption.
• Valuable papers on your premises.
• Vehicles used for business.

Who Needs Commercial Flood Insurance?

Commercial flood damage is typically not covered by most business property insurance policies. To safeguard your business and business property from flooding, you might consider purchasing commercial flood insurance. Even if your company is not located in a flood-prone area, you will want commercial flood insurance if any of the following conditions exist:

• You operate a business in a climate with cold, snowy winters and warm springs. Snow that melts quickly is one of the most common causes of commercial flooding.
• Springtime brings with it a considerable amount of precipitation. A local stream can overflow due to the heavy rains, causing flooding in your location of the business and resulting in property damage.
• Your company's basement floods as a result of construction drainage just beside your building, causing damage to equipment and stock.

Although you may believe that you do not need flood insurance since your business is not in a high risk flood zone, floods are one of the most prevalent and costly natural catastrophes in the United State.  Floods can strike businesses in every region and state of the country. There are a variety of other reasons why you would wish to consider business flood insurance, including:

• According to FEMA, more than 20% of the flood claims come from areas considered low flood risk zones.
• Wildfires can alter the terrain and ground dynamics in your area, resulting in flash flooding in the event of future rains.
• Storms aren't the only thing that causes flooding. A breached dam or levee and new construction that alters the flow of water in your region are just a few of the factors that can cause a flood in your territory.

How will Business Flood Insurance from NFIP Work?

Before your flood insurance coverage takes effect, you must wait for 30 days after making your purchase. As a result, if a flood causes damage to your business while you are still within the waiting time, you will not be covered. Therefore, it is critical to get flood insurance well before a potential flood heads in your direction.

If your company suffers flood damage and your waiting time has expired, you may be able to file a claim for reimbursement.

Although, if you have a mortgage required flood insurance policy, you will not have to wait the 30 days.  You can start your business flood insurance policy right away if your mortgage company requires it for closing.

What is the Maximum Flood Insurance Coverage For Commercial Property?

Commercial flood insurance provides a maximum of $500,000 in coverage for the structure and personal property, depending on the policy. Your policy will outline the specifics for your company:

• Amount of coverage limits.
• Amount of the deductibles.
• The insurance premiums.

However, you can purchase greater amounts of commercial flood insurance if needed.  This is called excess flood insurance, but NFIP will not regulate the extra coverage.

Insurance company underwriters will not be able to charge different prices for business flood insurance premiums since the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) regulates the pricing of premiums.

A variety of criteria will be examined when determining the cost of your business flood insurance for commercial property policy when you purchase it. Among these considerations are the following:

• Location of your commercial building and how close it is to a body of water.
• The structure of your commercial building – the building materials used and the foundation it sits on.
• The type of coverage you want- replacement cost value you choose.
• If the area is designated as a flooding zone.
• The age of the building and number of floors in your building.
  The amount of business property coverage you need.

Conclusion

Economic damages linked with floods can be avoided by investing in commercial flood insurance, one of the most effective options available to business owners today. Regardless of whether your business is located in a high-risk flood zone or a low-risk flood zone, you should consider purchasing a standard business flood insurance policy for your organization.

Get in touch with a flood insurance specialist who will offer you more information concerning commercial flood insurance and give you a commercial flood insurance quote.  Or you can click the button below and get commercial flood insurance quotes from FEMA and the top rated private flood insurance companies in your area.  By comparing coverages and pricing, you could end up saving thousands!!