What is the NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program)?

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is a federal program administered by FEMA that makes flood insurance available to property owners in participating communities. Standard homeowners and landlord policies do not cover flood damage; the NFIP exists to fill that gap for properties in eligible communities.

How does the NFIP work?

Property owners in communities that have adopted and enforce FEMA’s floodplain management ordinances are eligible to purchase NFIP coverage. Policies are sold through private insurance agents under the NFIP’s Write Your Own (WYO) program, meaning the policy document comes from a participating private carrier but the risk is backed by the federal government.

Coverage limits under the NFIP are set by federal statute: up to $250,000 for the building and up to $100,000 for contents. Residential properties with replacement values exceeding those limits require private flood insurance above the NFIP layer to cover the full value.

What is the 30-day waiting period?

NFIP policies carry a standard 30-day waiting period before coverage takes effect. A homeowner or landlord who purchases NFIP coverage shortly before a storm cannot make a flood claim for that event. Limited exceptions apply, such as when coverage is purchased in connection with a new mortgage loan closing or a map revision that places the property in a higher-risk flood zone. For example, a homeowner who buys a policy two weeks before a hurricane makes landfall cannot file a flood claim for that storm’s damage.

How does the NFIP apply to short-term rental properties?

NFIP coverage is available for non-primary and rental properties in participating Georgia communities, but the program classifies vacation or seasonal-use properties differently from primary residences in some contexts. The contents limit of $100,000 may not reflect the full replacement cost of furnishings in a fully furnished STR property. Flood damage from any event is entirely outside the scope of AirCover, which does not cover flood losses under any circumstances. For example, a fully furnished Blue Ridge vacation home with $150,000 in furniture and appliances would exceed the NFIP’s $100,000 contents limit, leaving $50,000 uninsured under the federal program alone.

How can you check whether a Georgia property qualifies?

FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center at msc.fema.gov allows property owners to look up whether a specific address is in a NFIP-participating community and what flood zone the parcel falls in. Properties in high-risk flood zones (A and V zones) with federally backed mortgages are required by federal law to carry flood insurance. Properties in moderate- or low-risk zones (X zones) are eligible but not federally required to carry it.

For more on how flood coverage fits into a Georgia STR insurance plan, see flood zone designation, short-term rental insurance for Airbnb and VRBO hosts, and Short-term rental insurance guide for Georgia hosts.

A coverage review can explain how NFIP coverage applies to your specific property. Request a coverage review.