Questions & answers · Flood insurance
My rental house flooded and I lost rent. Does the federal flood policy pay for lost rent or lost income?
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. V.A (Exclusions) View original ↗
In short
- The federal flood policy pays only for direct physical loss by or from flood.
- It lists loss of revenue or profits as something it does not pay.
- It also lists business interruption and any other economic loss.
What this means
This answer is about the federal National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Dwelling Form policy only.
The policy says it only pays for direct physical loss by or from flood, which means it does not pay for loss of revenue or profits, loss of access to the property, loss of use of the property, loss from interruption of business or production, additional living expenses while the building is being repaired, the cost of complying with an ordinance or law, or any other economic loss you suffer.
The list does not use the word "rent." It does include loss of revenue or profits, loss of use and any other economic loss, and the insurer decides how those words apply to rent. The exception for ordinance or law costs is Increased Cost of Compliance; see our answer about that coverage.
Your next step
Ask your flood insurer in writing which exclusion it applied to your lost rent. The policy gives no deadline for this question.
Check it yourself
Open the eCFR page and find Article V, section A.
Where this comes from (1)
[1] FEMA · Standard Flood Insurance Policy, Dwelling Form (44 CFR Part 61, Appendix A(1)) · Art. V.A (Exclusions) · checked 2026-11-05
A. We only pay for direct physical loss by or from flood, which means that we do not pay you for: 1. Loss of revenue or profits; 2. Loss of access to the insured property or described location; 3. Loss of use of the insured property or described location; 4. Loss from interruption of business or production; 5. Any additional living expenses incurred while the insured building is being repaired or is unable to be occu…
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.
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Answer id CQ3072. Spotted an error? Tell us.