North Dakota
homeowners in FEMA-designated high-risk zones must purchase flood insurance to obtain a federally-backed mortgage loan.The Red River and high amounts of precipitation make certain areas of North Dakota particularly susceptible to flooding. Despite this, only 4.65% of homeowners in North Dakota have taken out flood insurance policies. That’s probably because many do not realize that standard homeowners policies don’t cover flooding.
Flooding can cause extensive and expensive damage to your property. Luckily, home and car insurance
app Jerry
is here to help. We’ve created this guide to everything you need to know about flood insurance in North Dakota—who should get it, what it covers, and more. What is flood insurance?
Flood insurance covers financial losses for items damaged or lost due to a weather-related flood.
Since flooding is a common occurrence and can affect many properties over a widespread area at one time, most home insurance lenders consider flooding too large a risk to insure.
Homeowners can purchase a flood insurance policy separate from their homeowners policy to protect their belongings in the event of flooding.
What does flood insurance cover?
Flood insurance policies include two types of coverage for your items—building coverage and contents coverage.
Contents coverage protects smaller appliances, clothes, electronics, and other personal belongings. Building coverage insures larger appliances and covers structural damage.
While most items are covered by the combination of these two coverages, there are a few exceptions. Swimming pools, currency, and valuable papers are not covered by flood insurance, as well as all items stored in basements.
Here’s a more comprehensive look at what each type of insurance does and doesn’t cover:
| | |
|---|
| 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 |
| Clothing
Furniture
Electronics
Curtains
Washing machine and dryer
Portable air conditioners, including window units
Carpets not included in building coverage
Valuables up to $2,500 | Valuable papers
Currency
Items stored in a basement |
Do you need flood insurance in North Dakota?
It depends on where you are located. Homeowners in a FEMA-designated high-risk zone must purchase flood insurance to qualify for a federally-backed mortgage loan.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) runs the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
. This program offers flood insurance policies to homeowners in high-risk areas that are underwritten by private companies like Allstate
or Farmers
. To see which North Dakota communities are eligible for NFIP programs, take a look at this list
. However, you do not need to be located in a FEMA-designated high-risk zone to purchase flood insurance. In fact, 45% of flood claims in North Dakota occur outside of the high-risk zones. Since flooding is common throughout the state, it is smart for those in moderate-risk zones to purchase flood insurance. Some private insurers may even require it.
What flood zones require flood insurance in North Dakota?
Homeowners in a zone graded A or V are required to purchase flood insurance to obtain a federally-backed loan. These areas are high-risk zones.
Those in zones graded B, C, D, or X are not required to purchase flood insurance. However, the North Dakota State Water Commission recommends flood insurance for all properties, regardless of rating, as high precipitation levels can cause flooding throughout the state.
Check out FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center
or Flood Factor®
to find your area’s flood risk. One area at a particularly high risk of flooding is West Fargo. 41% of properties in this area are at statistically significant risk.
Key Takeaway Homeowners in a zone graded A or V must purchase flood insurance if they have a federally-backed mortgage loan.
How much does flood insurance cost in North Dakota?
The average cost of a flood insurance policy in North Dakota is $766 per year, or $63 per month. This is slightly higher than the national average, which is around $739 per year.
The actual cost varies across North Dakota and depends on factors such as your area, property age and size, and more.
Recently, NIFP released a new payment methodology—called Risk Rating 2.0—that will take full effect on April 1, 2022. Under this new structure, 38% of homeowners will see their flood insurance cost decrease, and 60% will see it increase between $0-10 per month.
Remember that your insurance policy has a payout limit. For NFIP policies, residential policyholders can recoup up to $250,000 in building coverage and $10,000 in contents coverage.
How to save on flood and auto insurance in North Dakota
Here are some strategies if you want to save money on flood insurance in North Dakota:
Choose contents-only coverage
Opt for a high deductible plan (if you can afford to pay that much after a flood)
It’s important to note that your car is not covered under a flood insurance policy. To protect your car, you must purchase car insurance that includes comprehensive coverage
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