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I have a federal flood policy and a private flood policy. If both cover the same loss, how do they share the payment?

Flood insuranceWho paysChecked Nov 5, 2026

From K.Actuary, founded by Sangmin Kwon, ASA · sources checked 2026-11-05 · Source: FEMA · Standard Flood Insurance Policy, Dwelling Form (44 CFR Part 61, Appendix A(1)) · Art. VII.B.1 (Other Insurance) View original ↗

In short

  1. The federal flood policy has an Other Insurance clause.
  2. Usually it pays only its share of the loss, based on the amount of insurance.
  3. Some cases change the order, such as when the other policy says it is excess insurance.

What this means

This answer is about the federal National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Dwelling Form policy. It tells you how the federal policy treats other flood insurance. It does not tell you how your private policy treats it, so read your private policy too.

The federal policy says that if a loss is also insured by other flood insurance not issued under the federal flood program, it will not pay more than the amount of insurance you are entitled to for the damaged property. As a general rule it pays only its proportion of the loss: its amount of insurance compared with the total amount of insurance covering the loss.

There are two exceptions in the policy. If the other policy says it is excess insurance, the federal policy is primary. Also, the federal policy is primary, subject to its own deductible, up to the deductible in the other flood policy. After that deductible is reached, the federal policy takes part in the same proportion for the rest of the loss.

The policy also lists "details of any other insurance that may cover the loss" among the things your proof of loss must include.

Your next step

List the other flood policy on your proof of loss. The policy says to send the proof of loss within 60 days after the loss.

Check it yourself

Open the eCFR page and read "Other Insurance" under Article VII, then the proof of loss list under "Requirements in Case of Loss."

Where this comes from (2)

  1. [1] FEMA · Standard Flood Insurance Policy, Dwelling Form (44 CFR Part 61, Appendix A(1)) · Art. VII.B.1 (Other Insurance) · checked 2026-11-05

    B. Other Insurance 1. If a loss insured by this policy is also insured by other insurance that includes flood coverage not issued under the Act, we will not pay more than the amount of insurance you are entitled to for lost, damaged, or destroyed property insured under this policy subject to the following: a. We will pay only the proportion of the loss that the amount of insurance that applies under this policy bears…

  2. [2] FEMA · Standard Flood Insurance Policy, Dwelling Form (44 CFR Part 61, Appendix A(1)) · Art. VII.G.4 (Requirements in Case of Loss) · checked 2026-11-05

    4. Within 60 days after the loss, send us a proof of loss, which is your statement of the amount you are claiming under the policy signed and sworn to by you, and which furnishes us with the following information: a. The date and time of loss; b. A brief explanation of how the loss happened; c. Your interest (for example, “owner”) and the interest, if any, of others in the damaged property; d. Details of any other in…

How we found this

We matched your question to 2 official sources, quoted the exact lines, and re-checked each quote against its source on 2026-11-05.

What we don’t know yet

Your own plan or notice may say something different. If your letter cites another rule, send it and we will look again.

Every answer is checked against the official rule it quotes.

Information only — not legal advice. Your plan, insurer or agency decides.

This answer quotes the official sources listed above, with the date we checked them. Your own policy, notice and state rules control. We are not your lawyer or your insurer. We don’t file, argue or negotiate claims for you — you send any letter or form yourself.

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