The National Flood Insurance Program and the Federal Emergency Management Agency defines a flood as: "A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of two or more acres of normally dry land area or of two or more properties (at least one of which is the policyholder's property) from:
--Overflow of inland or tidal waters; or
--Unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source; or
--Mudflow;or
--Collapse or subsidence of land along the shore of a lake or similar body of water as a result of erosion or undermining caused by waves or currents of water exceeding anticipated cyclical levels that result in a flood as defined above."
Notice that water that backs up thru the sewer/drain or a malfunctioning sump pump is not in the definition. Make sure the water backup/sump pump endorsement is added to the home owners policy to pick up this coverage. Most companies offer a minimum of $5000 with the option to increase this limit to $50,000 and in some high value home owners policies, up to the policy limits. It is worth the time to review your policy to determine if this coverage exists, especially if you have a basement that is partially to fully finished!
