Missouri Flood Insurance: The policy your home insurance leaves out.

The policy a lot of river-country homes don't have. Yet.

Here's the part that surprises almost everyone, so we'll put it first: your homeowners policy doesn't cover flood damage. Rising water and overflow from rivers, creeks and overwhelmed drainage are excluded from standard home and renters policies. It doesn't matter how long you've had the policy. Flood coverage is its own policy, usually written through the federal National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

The second thing to know is that it has happened here, more than once. The Meramec and Bourbeuse rivers flooded to record levels in December 2015, and again in May 2017, when record flooding was forecast on the Meramec near Sullivan. Lenders only require flood insurance in high-risk zones, but the zone that triggers the mandate and the water that reaches your house don't always line up.

The third thing is the basement. A lot of "flooded basement" calls aren't flood claims at all. If water comes up through a floor drain because the sewer backed up, or because the sump pump failed, that's a water backup loss. It's handled by your homeowners policy, and only if you added a water backup endorsement. We'll help you check both.

That's the offer. We explain the coverages to you and let you pick what works for you. We'll help you look up your flood zone, explain NFIP coverage and any private flood options that may be available, size the building and contents limits to your actual house, and show you how flood fits next to your home and auto coverage. Call (573) 358-4513.

The four decisions that shape your flood policy.

Flood insurance looks simple until you read the policy. These are the choices that decide what a claim actually pays. We'll explain each one, then you pick.

1. NFIP or private flood

The National Flood Insurance Program is the federal flood program: standardized coverage with set limits, sold through insurance agents. Sullivan participates in the NFIP, so homeowners and renters here can buy it. Private flood policies may also be available in some cases, with their own terms. We'll explain the differences in plain English.

Flood rarely happens in isolation. The same storm that sends the river up can damage a roof, flood a truck and back up a basement drain. Keeping your home, auto and flood coverage with one local agency means one team that knows the whole plan, and one number to call: (573) 358-4513.

2. The building limit, and the cap above it

Your building limit should track what it costs to rebuild the house, the same logic as your homeowners dwelling limit. The NFIP stops at $250,000. If your home would cost more to rebuild, we'll look at what may be available above that limit.

3. Contents, the coverage people skip

Building and contents are separate choices, and skipping contents to save money is a common regret. Watch the settlement basis: the NFIP pays contents at depreciated actual cash value, not replacement cost. After two feet of water in a house full of furniture and appliances, that difference adds up.

Renters aren't exempt. A landlord's flood policy covers the building, never your belongings, and a standard renters policy excludes flood too. A contents-only flood policy exists for exactly this.

4. Your rate, your elevation and the glide path

Under FEMA's Risk Rating 2.0, your NFIP price is based on things like elevation, distance to flooding sources, foundation type and rebuild cost. An elevation certificate is optional, but FEMA will use one if it lowers your rate. On a home that sits up on a hillside lot, it can be worth a look.

Annual increases on an existing NFIP policy are capped, which creates a glide path: the longer a policy has been in force, the further below full-risk price it may sit. That policy can be assumed by a buyer at closing, so "can I take over the seller's flood policy?" is a smart question when you buy a home.

Zones, rivers and what the flood map doesn't tell you.

You've seen the maps and heard the letters. Here's what they mean for your address.

How the zones work

FEMA maps sort property into zones. A and AE zones are high-risk Special Flood Hazard Areas with at least a 1 percent chance of flooding each year, often called the "100-year" floodplain. If your home is in a high-risk zone and has a federally backed mortgage, your lender will require flood insurance. Zone X areas are moderate or lower risk, and coverage there is optional.

Around Sullivan, the flood maps come from the Franklin County Flood Insurance Study, and the higher-risk areas generally follow the water: the Meramec River, the Bourbeuse River and the creeks that feed them. Zones can change from one road to the next, so we look up the map for your specific address instead of guessing by town.

The map is not the risk

The map that triggers the lender requirement and the water that actually reaches homes are two different things. FEMA has long pointed out that many flood claims come from outside high-risk zones. Here that can look like a low-water crossing that turns into a river during a downpour, or a creek that stays in its banks for years until the night it doesn't. The December 2015 and May 2017 floods on the Meramec and Bourbeuse were reminders of how high the water can go.

Federal disaster assistance isn't a plan, either. It requires a presidential disaster declaration, much of it comes as loans that must be repaid, and grants are typically a small fraction of real repair costs. Lower-risk addresses often have some of the lowest flood pricing, so it's worth getting a quote before deciding to skip it.

Risk Rating 2.0, map changes and the 30-day clock

The NFIP prices each property individually under Risk Rating 2.0. Zones still control the lender requirement, but not your NFIP price. Increases on an existing policy are capped year to year, so a policy bought early rides a glide path below full-risk pricing.

Flood maps also change. FEMA and local communities revise them as new studies are done, and a revision can move a property into a high-risk zone and trigger the lender requirement. And because a new NFIP policy usually waits 30 days to take effect, the time to buy is before the heavy-rain season, not the afternoon the river forecast goes up.