CARRIER COMPARISON

Best Flood Insurance Companies: 24 Carriers Compared

Finding the best rate requires options, as no single carrier is the cheapest for every home. At The Flood Insurance Guru, we analyze 24 different carriers for every address. Our data from 4,403+ closed policies reveals exactly which carrier offers the best value for your specific property type.

4,403+

Closed Policies

Carriers in System

30+

States Served

$400+

Avg Spread Per Address

Get Your Free Quote Now Verify Your Flood Zone

The best flood insurance company depends on your specific property: your elevation, flood zone, and foundation. From our 4,403 closed policies, we see the same address produce quotes from $200 to $800 depending on the carrier. Most private options are non-admitted companies or MGAs operating under different rules. At The Flood Insurance Guru, we shop all 24 carriers for every property to ensure you get the lowest rate available.

FULL CARRIER COMPARISON

24 Carriers We Compare for Every Property

From our HubSpot CRM, we have placed policies through 24 different carriers and MGAs. Most are non-admitted (surplus lines), which is standard for flood and other high-risk insurance products. Here is how they compare:

Private Flood Carriers (Non-Admitted / MGA)

Carrier	Avg Residential Range	Best Zones	Best For
CatCoverage	$200 - $600/yr	AE, A, X, AO	Properties with good elevation data. Consistently produces lowest quotes when elevation is favorable.
Argenia	$250 - $700/yr	A, X, AE	Standard residential, crawlspace properties, investment. Second largest carrier by deal volume.
Neptune	$250 - $700/yr	A, X	Mid-range residential, crawlspace, suburban markets. Strong in southeast.
Sterling Underwriters	$250 - $750/yr	AE, X, A	Widest range from small residential to large commercial. Good for low deductible options.
Dual	$250 - $700/yr	AE, X	Investment properties, coastal commercial, multi-property portfolios.
Superior	$200 - $600/yr	AE, VE	Mid-market residential, newer construction. Competitive slab pricing.
TFIA	$200 - $700/yr	AE, X	Rental and investment properties. Strong crawlspace pricing.
AON Edge	$250 - $800/yr	X	Higher-risk properties, basement foundations, Zone A without elevation data.
Johnson & Johnson	$250 - $700/yr	A, X	Small residential to commercial. Select markets.
National General	$400 - $600/yr	X	Zone X residential. Competitive when other carriers are not available.
Flow Flood	Varies	Various	Newer market entrant. Growing carrier appetite.
Insuremark	$300 - $700/yr	Various	Select markets. Residential focus.
Joe Flood	$400 - $800/yr	Various	Select markets.
Novus Underwriters	Varies	Various	Select markets.
RT Specialty	Varies	Various	Specialty and hard to place risks.
Prospect General	Varies	Various	Select markets.
Selective	Varies	Various	Select markets.

Expert Market Analysis

Our data shows that carrier appetite changes frequently. From CatCoverage's focus on elevation to RT Specialty's focus on hard-to-place risks, we monitor all 24 carriers daily to ensure your property is matched with the carrier that rates your specific foundation and zone most favorably.

NFIP Write Your Own (WYO) Carriers

Carrier	Type	Notes
Wright Flood	NFIP WYO + Private Brokerage	Write Your Own carrier for NFIP policies. Also operates a separate private flood insurance brokerage for non-NFIP options. Avg private range: $250 - $800/yr.
Bankers	NFIP WYO + Private Partnership	Write Your Own carrier for NFIP. Also partners with Johnson and Johnson on the private flood insurance side.
Assurant	NFIP WYO	Write Your Own carrier for NFIP. Primarily large commercial: apartment complexes, institutional properties. Avg commercial range: $15,000 - $25,000/yr.

Specialty / Large Commercial Carriers

Carrier	Avg Range	Best For
AMWINS	$10,000 - $60,000/yr	Museums, theaters, large commercial complexes, specialty risks.
NFIP Direct	Varies - $15,094/yr	FEMA only. This is a federal government program, not a private company. Used when no private carrier is competitive or available.

Note: Palomar previously offered residential flood insurance but no longer writes residential flood policies. Carrier availability and appetite change over time, which is why we work with 24 carriers instead of one.

BY PROPERTY TYPE

Which Carrier Is Best for YourProperty?

Best for Residential with Good Elevation

CatCoverage

When the property has favorable elevation data, CatCoverage consistently produces the lowest quotes. If you have an elevation certificate, this is typically our first comparison.

Avg Range: $200 - $600/yr

Best for Standard Residential

Argenia

Consistent pricing across zones, states, and foundation types. When CatCoverage is not the lowest, Argenia often is. Our second largest carrier by volume.

Avg Range: $250 - $700/yr

Best for Crawlspace Foundations

Argenia, Neptune, TFIA

TFIA is strong for rental properties, while Neptune performs well in suburban markets. All three rate crawlspace properties very competitively.

Avg Range: $200 - $700/yr

Best for Basement Foundations

CatCoverage, AON Edge, Argenia

Most carriers penalize basements heavily. These three rate basements and walkout basements more favorably, especially for below-grade risk.

Avg Range: $200 - $800/yr

Best for Investment / Rental

TFIA, Dual

TFIA offers slab rentals starting around $200/yr. Dual is excellent for multi-property portfolios and LLC-owned properties.

Avg Range: $200+ per property

Best for Commercial Properties

CatCoverage, Dual, Sterling, AMWINS

Tiered by value: Small commercial through Superior/CatCoverage. Mid-market via Dual. Large/Specialty (theaters/museums) via Sterling/AMWINS.

Varies by Property Value

Best for Zone A (No BFE Data)

CatCoverage, AON Edge

Zone A lacks FEMA engineering data. CatCoverage uses proprietary models, while AON Edge specializes in limited data scenarios.

Expert Risk Modeling

FOUNDATION DATA

Best Carriers by Foundation Type

Foundation type is one of the biggest pricing variables across carriers. From our 4,403 deals:

Foundation	Avg Range Across Carriers	Most Competitive Carriers
Slab	$200 - $500/yr	CatCoverage, TFIA, Superior, Sterling
Crawlspace	$200 - $700/yr	Argenia, Neptune, Sterling, CatCoverage
Basement	$200 - $800/yr	CatCoverage, AON Edge, Argenia
Walkout Basement	$200 - $700/yr	CatCoverage, Neptune, AON Edge

Why the Same Address Gets Different Quotes

Each carrier uses different risk models, different data sources, and different appetites for risk. CatCoverage might rate a well-elevated slab at $220 while Wright Flood rates the same property at $650. The factors that cause carrier pricing to diverge include: how heavily they weight elevation data, their appetite for specific zones, how they rate foundation types, their claims experience in your area, their reinsurance costs, and whether they use FEMA data, private data, or both.

IMPORTANT CONTEXT

What You Need to Know About Private Flood Carriers

Most of the carriers listed above are non-admitted companies or Managing General Agents (MGAs) that are not licensed in the state where you live. This is standard for high-risk insurance products including flood, earthquake, hurricane wind, and wildfire. Your rights as a policyholder are different with non-admitted carriers:

Your Rights	Admitted Carrier	Non-Admitted (Most Flood)
Licensed in your state?	Yes	No
State guaranty fund?	Yes, protects you if carrier fails	No safety net
Can carrier leave state?	Formal regulatory process	Can exit with shorter notice
Consumer protections?	Full state protections	Different and fewer

For your lender to accept a private flood policy, it must contain the private flood insurance acceptance clause under the Biggert-Waters Act. We ensure every policy we place includes this clause. For a detailed explanation of admitted vs non-admitted carriers and the acceptance clause requirements, see our page: Is Private Flood Insurance Legitimate?

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest flood insurance company?

Is Neptune flood insurance good?

Should I use NFIP or a private company?

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How do I compare flood insurance quotes?

Are private flood insurance companies legitimate?

Find Out Which Carrier Is Cheapest for Your Property

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The average spread is over $400/yr. Get the lowest rate available.

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