Questions & answers · Flood insurance
My belongings were in a carport that is open on the sides, and the flood carried them away. Does the federal flood policy cover them?
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. III.B.3 and Art. IV.1 View original ↗
In short
- The federal flood policy covers personal property inside a building.
- If the building is not fully enclosed, the property must be secured so it cannot float out.
- If it floats out, the policy says it is presumed not secured, and there is no coverage.
What this means
This answer is about the federal National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Dwelling Form policy only.
The policy says personal property in a building that is not fully enclosed must be secured to prevent flotation out of the building. If the personal property does float out during a flood, the policy says it is conclusively presumed that it was not reasonably secured, and there is no coverage for that property.
The policy also lists "personal property not inside a building" among the things it does not insure. The sources do not define what "secured" means for a particular item, so ask your insurer how it applies the rule to your loss.
Your next step
Ask your flood insurer in writing how it applies the secured-property rule to your items. The policy gives no deadline for this question.
Check it yourself
Open the eCFR page and find Article III, section B, item 3, and Article IV, item 1.
Where this comes from (1)
[1] FEMA · Standard Flood Insurance Policy, Dwelling Form (44 CFR Part 61, Appendix A(1)) · Art. III.B.3 and Art. IV.1 · checked 2026-11-05
3. Personal property in a building that is not fully enclosed must be secured to prevent flotation out of the building. If the personal property does float out during a flood, it will be conclusively presumed that it was not reasonably secured. In that case, there is no coverage for such property. … IV. Property Not Insured We do not insure any of the following: 1. Personal property not inside a building.
How we found this
We matched your question to 1 official source, 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.
Related answers
- What is the deductible on an NFIP flood insurance claim?
- What is my flood insurance deductible?
- Rain came through my roof during a storm. Does my flood insurance pay?
- My basement flooded. Does NFIP flood insurance cover it?
Answer id CQ3063. Spotted an error? Tell us.