If the bayou came in and you never carried flood insurance, you’re not going to magic a policy into last Tuesday. New flood policies don’t cover this event. Anyone at the door who says otherwise is selling you something.
You still have work. File any homeowners claim for wind or rain that truly came through the roof. Register for FEMA Individual Assistance if Harris County or the City of Houston is in a declared area. Look at SBA disaster loans. Call 211 for local programs.
This is a worse path than a well-bought NFIP policy. It’s still a path. People who sit in the wet house waiting for a miracle lose the week that photos and applications need.
Do this now
- Photograph the water line and rooms today even though there is no flood policy. You may need the photos for FEMA, SBA, or a landlord.
- Open a homeowners claim only for damage that policy might actually cover, like roof or tree. Do not invent a flood-on-homeowners story.
- Check DisasterAssistance.gov or 1-800-621-3362 to see if you can register. If registration is not open, keep the file ready.
- Call 211 for local housing, food, and cleanup leads. Use City of Houston 311 or Harris County channels for debris and urgent city services.
- Ignore anyone offering “private flood” that backdates to yesterday.
What is actually left
Homeowners or renters for non-flood causes. Auto comprehensive if the car flooded. FEMA grants if Individual Assistance is approved for this area, which is not the same as rebuilding your kitchen to spec. SBA loans if you can carry a loan. Church and mutual aid. Savings. A payment plan with a contractor you vetted.
None of that is a full replacement for a flood policy with building and contents limits. Say that out loud so you do not budget like a check is coming that is not.
FEMA is not secret flood insurance
FEMA Individual Assistance, when it exists, is needs-based help: temporary housing, some repairs, some essential items. It will look at other help you got. It will not buy a luxury remodel. You still have to register, document, and meet an inspector if they send one.
If the presidential declaration is not there yet, do not treat that as “nothing to do.” The photos you skip today will not be easier to take after the drywall is in a pile on the curb.
Buy flood insurance for the next one, on the real clock
When you are ready, talk to an agent about NFIP or private flood for the next event. There is typically a waiting period, often 30 days for NFIP, with limited exceptions. That wait is why “I will buy it tomorrow” does not help tonight.
If you are in a high-risk flood zone and you have a mortgage, your lender may now require it. That is a separate conversation from this loss.
Do not pay a fixer to invent coverage
After Houston floods, people show up offering to “get you on a policy” or “handle FEMA for a fee up front.” You register yourself at DisasterAssistance.gov or 1-800-621-3362. You do not pay a stranger to stand in that line.
If a contractor wants you to sign your possible FEMA or insurance proceeds before they have done work, stop. Read the paper. Walk away.
Verify live. Status changes hourly. Registration status is on DisasterAssistance.gov or 1-800-621-3362. County inclusion can lag the storm. Check FEMA.gov and Harris County OEM. Flood policy rules for future coverage are on FloodSmart.gov.
Do this next
- Call, claim number, and photos before you forget
- Flood policy vs homeowners: what usually covers what
- Commercial providers hub
More in Start your insurance claim today.