A typical homeowners insurance policy only covers a specific list of named perils – and flooding isn’t one of them. Unfortunately for most homeowners, they don’t realize their home isn’t covered from flood damage until it’s too late.

Almost all natural disasters that occur in the US involve flood damage, which means it’s extremely important to make sure your home and property are protected with the right insurance coverage.

Even though Utah isn’t the first state that comes to mind when you think of flooding, there are still areas of the state that are at risk. That’s why car insurance brokerage app

Jerry

put together this guide to flood insurance in the Beehive State with everything you need to know about how flood insurance works and what kind of coverage you need.

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What is flood insurance?

Flood insurance is an extra policy that covers water damage caused by flooding from storms or other natural disasters.

Most regular homeowners insurance policies will cover water damage from something like a pipe leak, but not from a flood resulting from a natural disaster. To make sure your home is covered as much as possible, you’ll need to purchase a separate flood policy.

What does flood insurance cover?

Flood insurance comes in two varieties—building coverage, which covers structures, and contents coverage which covers the items inside those structures.

Taken together, the policies protect most of your property from flood damage. However, there are some items and situations that are not covered. Large amounts of flooding from sewer backups aren’t covered, nor are damaged money, cars, or items in basements.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of what’s covered (and what isn’t) under each type of insurance:

Type of coverage	What it covers	What it doesn’t cover
Building	Electrical and plumbing systems Water heaters and furnaces Large appliances like dishwashers or refrigerators Permanently installed bookcases, cabinets, and paneling Permanently installed carpets Window blinds Foundational walls, staircases, and anchorages Detached garages Fuel tanks, solar panels, and well water tanks/pumps	Decks and patios Swimming pools Fences and landscaping
Contents	Clothing Furniture Electronic equipment Curtains Washing machine and dryer Portable air conditioners, including window units Carpets not included in building coverage Valuables such as artwork up to $2,500	Valuable papers Currency Anything stored in a basement

MORE: Does home insurance cover flooded basements?

Do you need flood insurance in Utah?

It depends.

The state of Utah doesn’t require homeowners to carry flood insurance. However, some mortgage lenders might require coverage as a condition of lending, especially if the house you’re buying is in a high-risk area.

Most communities in Utah participate in the

National Flood Insurance Program

or NFIP. This FEMA program helps homeowners purchase flood insurance based on their flood risk. However, you don’t have to live in a high-risk zone to purchase flood coverage. In fact, it’s a smart idea to have flood insurance just in case even if you’re not in a FEMA recognized high-risk zone.

If your community isn’t on the

NFIP list

, you can still buy flood insurance. You’ll just have to get a policy from a private company.

What flood zones require flood insurance in Utah?

FEMA assigns ratings to areas based on their risk for repeated flooding. If you look on a flood zone map for Utah, areas will be assigned the following letter grades:

High-risk zones are labeled A or V

Moderate risk zones are B or X

Low-risk zones are C

FEMA’s

Flood Map Service Center

Flood Factor®

can help you find out if your home is at risk.

Salt Lake City

has the highest flood risk in the state, but any areas near bodies of water—like along the Santa Clara, Virgin, or Jordan rivers—could benefit from flood insurance coverage.

How much does flood insurance cost in Utah?

The average annual cost of flood insurance in Utah is $730, which is just a hair cheaper than the national average at $739 a year.

The exact amount you’ll pay for flood insurance will depend on a lot of factors. Your location, the types of structures and property you’re buying coverage for, and even the age of your home can influence insurance premium costs.

There are coverage limits for flood insurance as well. Residential customers can get up to $250,000 in-building coverage and $100,000 for contents coverage.

MORE: How much water damage will total a car?

How to save money on flood and auto insurance in Utah

To help lower the cost of flood insurance in Utah you can try the following things:

Following FEMA’s

Opting for a higher deductible

Submitting an

elevation certificate

to your insurance agent

Choosing contents-only coverage

Just an important reminder – flood insurance won’t protect your car in the event of a flood. If you want to make sure your home and vehicle are protected, let

Jerry

help.

In just under a minute, Jerry will retrieve and deliver quotes from top car insurance providers straight to your phone. You can compare rates and save money without all the hassle. Jerry will even handle canceling your old policy and getting you all signed up for your new one.

“
Jerry
is very easy to use. I switched to Progressive without ever being on a phone call, and they emailed me my new card in minutes!” —Ashtyn U.

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