Don’t Wait Until the Storm Is Coming to Buy Flood Insurance

Abandoned cars submerged on a flooded residential street at sunset after a severe storm. — Severe flooding can happen quickly, leaving homes and cars underwater — a reminder why flood insurance must be in place before the storm

When a storm is already on the radar, it’s usually too late to buy flood insurance. This past weekend, I received two quote requests from homeowners in the Carolinas. Unfortunately, because a storm was actively tracking toward their area, carriers had already placed a moratorium on writing new policies. That means no matter how badly those families wanted coverage, it wasn’t available to them.

I hate seeing this happen—because it’s preventable.

What Is a Flood Insurance Moratorium?

When severe weather is forecasted to impact a state or county, most flood insurance carriers issue a moratorium. This is a temporary suspension of new policies and changes to existing ones. The goal is to prevent last-minute purchases when a disaster is already imminent.

Think of it like trying to buy auto insurance after you’ve already crashed your car—it’s just not possible.

Homeowners Insurance Does Not Cover Flooding

One of the biggest misconceptions I hear is that a standard homeowners policy will cover flooding. It does not. Homeowners insurance typically covers fire, theft, and certain types of water damage (like a burst pipe), but not flood damage caused by rising water.

The only way to protect yourself is with a separate flood insurance policy—through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or a private carrier.

Why Waiting Costs You

Flood insurance isn’t like other coverages where you can buy it on the spot. With the NFIP, there’s a 30-day waiting period before coverage begins. Many private carriers also enforce waiting periods, or they shut down new business completely when storms are approaching.

Waiting until a hurricane, tropical storm, or heavy rainfall event is named means you’ll be locked out when you need protection the most.

The Smarter Move: Buy Before the Forecast

The best time to buy flood insurance is before hurricane season—or better yet, right now. By locking in coverage early, you guarantee protection no matter when the storm hits.

Peace of mind: You don’t have to scramble when a storm is announced.
Property protection: Flood damage is expensive, and it’s excluded from homeowners insurance.
Availability: You beat the moratoriums that make last-minute purchases impossible.

Final Thought

The Carolina families I spoke with this weekend thought they had time—but the window had already closed. Please don’t wait until a storm is bearing down on your community to think about flood insurance.

At Good Good Flood, our mission is to make sure you’re covered before the unexpected happens. If you own a home, a business, or even just rent, now is the time to act.