A flood occurs at a house you hold in an account. It will be very expensive to repair the damage. Which of the following would be covered under a typical flood insurance policy?

• A. During a hurricane, a window is broken and water driven by rain floods the house.
• B. After a large snowstorm, melting snow on the roof causes water to seep in through the wall
• C. Heavy rain causes creek to overflow its banks and destroys the porch
• D. During a heavy downpour, water backs up from a drain into a basement and ruins the carpet.

Answer: (C)

Flood insurance covers direct damage caused by the overflow of inland or tidal waters, or by rapid accumulation of surface water from any source that floods the property. The scenario described—heavy rain causing a creek to overflow its banks and destroy the porch—fits that definition, since the damage results from floodwaters that overflow a natural watercourse into the property. This is the typical situation flood insurance is intended to cover, including damage to the building and any contents affected.

The other situations involve water intrusion that generally isn’t caused by a flood’s overflow: wind-driven rain during a hurricane is usually covered by windstorm or homeowners insurance rather than flood policy; water seeping in from roof leaks after snow melt is a roof/structural intrusion often handled by homeowners coverage; and sewer or drain backup is typically excluded from flood coverage unless a separate rider is added.