In Nevada, if you live in a FEMA-designated high-risk flood zone—and these zones have been changing in recent years—you may be required to purchase separate flood insurance to comply with your mortgage lender’s coverage requirements.

Conventional homeowners insurance policies do not include damage caused by flooding. Approximately 90% of all natural disasters in the US involve flooding, making it too risky for insurers to cover under a standard home insurance policy.

Despite the devastation flooding can cause, only 27% of US homeowners purchase flood insurance, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Many homeowners simply assume flooding is covered—which puts them at risk of having to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket if disaster strikes.

To help homeowners save the most money on insurance-related costs, the home and

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has created your guide to flood insurance in Nevada, including how to know if this coverage is required or recommended in your area.

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What is flood insurance?

Flood insurance is property insurance separate from home insurance that covers losses due to a natural disaster that causes flooding.

While a standard insurance policy typically covers water damage caused by plumbing failures, your house and belongings are not protected by a standard policy if they are damaged in a flood. This is why purchasing a separate flood insurance policy is recommended to most (if not all) homeowners.

What does flood insurance cover?

Flood insurance consists of two types of coverage: building coverage, which refers to the structure itself, and contents coverage, which includes your personal possessions.

Together, both coverages protect the house itself and property inside including appliances, flooring, furniture, electronics, jewelry or other valuables, and electrical and heating systems.

Flood insurance does not protect every object in your home or cover every source of flooding. For example, water damage not directly caused by large-scale flooding (which is defined as two or more acres or multiple properties) is not covered.

Similarly, property such as cash, vehicles, and items kept in basements—along with temporary living arrangements needed as a result of a flood—are not covered under flood insurance.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of what’s covered (or not) under each type of insurance

Type of coverage	What it covers	What it doesn’t cover
Building	Electrical and plumbing systems Water heaters and furnaces Large appliances like dishwashers or refrigerators Permanently installed bookcases, cabinets, and paneling Permanently installed carpets Window blinds Foundational walls, staircases, and anchorages Detached garages Fuel tanks, solar panels, and well water tanks/pumps	Decks and patios Swimming pools Fences and landscaping
Contents	Clothing Furniture Electronic equipment Curtains Washing machine and dryer Portable air conditioners, including window units Carpets not included in building coverage Valuables such as artwork up to $2,500	Valuable papers Currency Anything stored in a basement

MORE: Does home insurance cover flooded basements?

Do you need flood insurance in Nevada?

You may need flood insurance in the Sagebrush State, depending on your mortgage type and location.

No federal or state law dictates that all homeowners in the state must purchase flood insurance. Instead, you’ll likely be required to purchase separate flood insurance in addition to your standard homeowners policy if you have a federally-backed mortgage on a house in a high-risk flood zone.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, governs the

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

, which provides flood insurance to homeowners based on their area’s assigned flood risk.

Although you can get flood insurance through the NFIP, your policy will actually be underwritten by a private company, such as Allstate or

Farmers

If it turns out that your home or property is not in a designated high-risk area, you can still choose to purchase flood insurance—it never hurts to have the extra protection, especially since over 40% of claims filed to the NFIP come from areas outside of high-risk flood zones.

To date, a mere 0.8% of Nevada homeowners carry flood insurance. With the risk of flash flooding common in the state, most Nevada homeowners would benefit from the added protection of flood insurance.

To buy an NFIP-approved flood insurance policy, you must reside in one of Nevada’s participating communities (here’s a

helpful list

from FEMA). If you don’t see your hometown on this list, you can still purchase flood insurance through a private company such as Neptune or FloodSimple.

What flood zones require flood insurance in Nevada?

Federal flood insurance purchasing requirements apply to Nevada homeowners whose property lies in a flood zone with a letter grade starting with A or V. These zones are defined as having a 26% chance of flooding within 30 years.

If you live in a flood zone graded B, C, D, or X, flood insurance coverage isn’t required, but your flood risk isn’t nonexistent. You should consider purchasing flood insurance anyway.

If you don’t know your area’s risk level, you can use FEMA’s

Flood Map Service Center

or the tool provided by

Flood Factor®

Key Takeaway If you live in a high-risk flood zone (i.e., A or V) and have a government-backed mortgage, you will be required to carry flood insurance.

How much does flood insurance cost in Nevada?

The national average cost for flood insurance is $739 per year, and Nevada’s average flood insurance premium is just slightly higher at $772 a year, which comes out to $64 a month.

Fortunately, beginning April 2022, about 23% of flood insurance premiums nationwide will drop. A happy 21% of Nevada flood policyholders will see their rates decrease.

Approximately 73% of Nevadans who carry flood insurance will see their premiums increase up to $10 a month. Another 3% will see increases between $11 and $20 more per month, and the remaining 3% of policies will increase by more than $20.

The final cost of your flood insurance policy depends on multiple factors such as your location, the size, type, and age of the building or property you’re covering, and more.

Note that NFIP coverage for residential customers tops out at $250,000 for building coverage and $100,000 for contents coverage. Your policy may have one of various deductible limits as well.

MORE: How much water damage will total a car?

How to save money on flood and auto insurance in Nevada

To reduce the cost of flood insurance premiums in Nevada, try one of these strategies:

Follow FEMA’s

Choose a higher deductible for your plan (if you can afford it)

Provide an

elevation certificate

to your insurance agent

Choose contents-only coverage

While homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flooding to your house, the right car insurance coverage will help pay for a flooded vehicle. If you’re in the market for a new or better car insurance policy, just use the free broker app

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