Do I Need Flood Insurance in Edmonds, WA?

Short answer: if your Edmonds home is in a FEMA high-risk flood zone and you have a federally backed mortgage, flood insurance is required. If it is not, flood insurance is optional, but your homeowners policy will not pay for flood damage either way.

What counts as a flood?

For insurance purposes, a flood is surface water from outside that covers normally dry land: storm surge and king tides along the Puget Sound shoreline, an overflowing creek, or heavy rain that pools faster than it can drain. Water from a burst pipe inside your house is different, and is generally covered by your homeowners policy.

Where flood risk shows up around Edmonds

• Low-lying waterfront property near the shoreline and the marina area
• Homes near creeks and ravines that carry runoff to the Sound
• Properties at the bottom of slopes where water collects
• Homes with basements or a history of standing water in heavy storms

Flood maps change, and many flood claims nationally come from outside high-risk zones. Looking up your zone is a good start, not the final answer.

Your two options

NFIP: The National Flood Insurance Program offers up to $250,000 on the building and $100,000 on contents for a home, usually with a 30-day waiting period. Private flood: Some private insurers offer higher limits, replacement cost on belongings and coverage for additional living expenses. Pricing can be better or worse than NFIP depending on the property.

The waiting period matters

Because most flood policies do not take effect for 30 days, the time to buy is before the forecast turns. Waiting until a big winter storm is on the way is usually too late.

How we can help

We can look up your flood zone, compare NFIP and private flood options and explain the deductibles in plain language. Call (425) 555-0100 or request a quote. Learn more on our flood insurance page.