National General flood insurance review: Great coverage
National General’s Beyond Floods private flood insurance policy offers excellent and customizable coverage for a variety of homes and protection needs.
By
Pat HowardPat HowardManaging Editor & Licensed Home Insurance ExpertPat Howard is a licensed insurance expert and former managing editor at Policygenius. Pat has written extensively about the home insurance industry and his insights as a subject matter expert have appeared in several top tier publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, and Reuters. Pat has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Michigan State University.
Edited by
Jennifer GimbelJennifer GimbelSenior Managing Editor & Home Insurance ExpertJennifer Gimbel is a senior managing editor at Policygenius, where she oversees all of our insurance coverage. Previously, she was the managing editor at Finder.com and a content strategist at Babble.com.
Our proprietary ratings methodology takes multiple factors into account, including customer satisfaction, cost, financial strength, and policy offerings. See the “Ratings methodology” section for more details.
4.9
AM Best rating
AM Best is a global credit rating agency that scores the financial strength of insurance companies on a scale from A++ (Superior) to D (Poor).
A+
Cost
Using a mix of internal and external rate data, we grade the cost of each insurance company's premiums on a scale from least expensive ($) to most expensive ($$$$$).
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The bottom line
National General’s private flood insurance policy, Beyond Floods, is among the best on the market, offering three flexible tiers of coverage for everything from small to medium to larger high-value homes. In other words, whether you need $100,000 or $1 million in coverage for your home, you’ll likely be able to find it with National General. Even Beyond Flood’s lowest policy tier includes coverage that’s not available in a standard National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policy, including additional living expenses protection.
In addition to its state-admitted private primary flood insurance policy option, National General also offers standard NFIP policies and surplus lines insurance options (both primary and excess flood insurance) in several states.
While its private primary flood insurance is only admitted, or financially backed by the state, in two of the 30 states it’s available, National General is an Allstate-owned company with an “A+” AM Best rating — meaning National General has a “superior” ability to pay out claims in the event of a major disaster.
One potential downside of National General is its average rate is a bit higher than the national average, and its lack of high-deductible policy options in Florida and New Jersey means some homeowners in those states may find Beyond Floods unaffordable.
High optional coverage limits for your home and personal belongings
Offers three flexible policy tiers with different levels of coverage
No policy waiting period in Florida and New Jersey, and just 7 days in all other states
Cons
Rates are higher than the national average
Florida and New Jersey residents are limited to a maximum deductible of $10,000
Basic coverages offered
National General offers the following coverages to protect your home, possessions, and other expenses due to flood damage.
Dwelling: Also known as building coverage, this is the portion of flood insurance thatpays to rebuild or repair the structure of your home if it’s damaged by flooding. National General offers up to $1.5 million in dwelling coverage.
Personal property: This is the portion of flood insurance that reimburses you for flood damage to personal belongings inside your home. National General allows for a maximum of $750,000 in personal property coverage.
Other structures: Pays to rebuild or repair additional structures on your property, like a detached garage or gardening shed, if they’re damaged by flooding.
Loss of use: Pays for hotel stays, restaurant bills, pet boarding fees, and other temporary living expenses after a covered loss if you need to live elsewhere while your home is being repaired or rebuilt due to flood damage.
Increased cost of compliance: If your home is damaged or destroyed by flooding and you need to rebuild your home in compliance with state or local floodplain laws, this covers the cost of everything from flood-proofing to relocation and demolition expenses.
Debris removal: Covers the cost to remove debris after a covered flood.
Loss avoidance measures: Pays for mitigation services to fortify your home against flood damage.
Additional coverages offered
If you get a Beyond Floods private flood insurance policy with National General, the following additional coverages may either be included in your policy or available for purchase as an endorsement, depending on which plan you opt for:
Replacement cost contents: Pays to replace flood-damaged items with something new at today’s prices.
Basement contents: Covers the cost of replacing items stored in your basement if they’re damaged by a covered flood event.
Pool repair and refill: Covers the cost of pool cleanup and repairs after a covered flood event.
Ratings methodology
Price
4.2/5
Our price rating scale looks at the average cost of a standalone flood insurance policy with the carrier based on pricing data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). With an average annual flood insurance rate of $1,136, National General’s flood insurance rate is around $200 more expensive than the national average.
Customer experience
4.4/5
Our customer experience scale uses customer complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). We also considered each company’s waiting period, which is the number of days before your flood insurance coverage takes effect after you purchase the policy.
National General earned a solid score in this category thanks to its low number of customer complaints and limited waiting period after you purchase a Beyond Floods policy. If you live in Florida and New Jersey, you have no waiting period at all before your coverage takes effect, while all other states have a waiting period of just 7 days.
Coverage options
4.2/5
Our coverage options rating is based on both the quantity and quality of additional coverages and policy options offered by each company. It also takes the carrier’s coverage availability into consideration and whether it offers policies in flood-prone states like Florida, Texas, Louisiana, California, or New Jersey.
Beyond Floods offers three policy tiers (essential, enhanced, and elite) with different levels of coverage, with the essential plan offering the least amount of protection and the elite offering the most. Those who opt for the elite plan can purchase up to $1.5 million in dwelling coverage, $750,000 in personal property coverage, $250,000 in basement contents coverage, and additional coverages like pool clean-up and repairs and replacement cost personal property protection. Beyond Floods is also available in up to 30 states, including Florida, Texas, and Louisiana.
Financial strength
4.2/5
Our financial strength rating is based on the company’s AM Best rating — the industry-leading metric to measure a company’s financial strength and ability to pay out flood insurance claims. National General has an “A+” AM Best rating, which is the second-highest an insurance company can receive. This means that National General shouldn’t have any problem paying out claims after a flood disaster, even in the event of an economic downturn.
How much does National General flood insurance cost?
The average cost of a standalone flood insurance policy with National General is $1,136 per year, according to our analysis of publicly available private flood insurance data through the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
However, your own rates will vary depending on factors like your home's flood zone, elevation, and how much coverage you need.
National General flood insurance state availability
National General offers admitted flood insurance policies in Florida and New Jersey, and surplus lines flood insurance in the following 28 states:
Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.
Compare flood insurance quotes with top insurers in minutes
National General Beyond Floods vs. NFIP flood insurance
National General’s Beyond Floods is a private flood insurance alternative to a standard policy through the National Flood Insurance Program — a federal-government backed program that’s responsible for around 90% of residential policies in the U.S.
The NFIP’s low coverage limits, 30-day waiting period, and minimal available coverage add-ons have made private flood insurance an increasingly popular option in recent years.
Compare National General’s Beyond Floods policy to NFIP flood insurance and decide which policy makes the most sense for you:
National General Beyond Floods
NFIP policy
Average annual cost
$1,136
$939
Maximum limits
$1.5 million
$250,000
Dwelling coverage
Replacement cost
Replacement cost
Personal property coverage
Optional replacement cost settlements
Actual cash value
Loss of use
Up to $150,000 in coverage available
Not offered
Debris removal
Covered
Covered
Basement contents
Covered
Not covered
Waiting period
0 days in Florida and New Jersey, 7 days in all other states
30 days unless purchased for mortgage
Highest deductible option
$50,000 in all states except Florida and New Jersey
What to expect with National General flood insurance
How to get a quote: You can get a National General flood insurance quote online through Policygenius, through NatGen’s website, or by calling 800-462-2123
Customer service options: You can get in touch with a National General customer service rep by calling 888-325-1190, emailing service@ngic.com, or using the chat feature on its website.
How to file a claim: You can file a National General flood insurance claim by calling 800-468-3466, emailing claims@ngic.com, using the chat feature on its website, through its mobile app, or by calling your agent directly.
How to cancel your policy: To cancel your National General flood insurance policy, call your insurance agent, whose number should be listed on your policy declarations page.
National General vs. other flood insurance companies
Compare National General flood insurance to other insurers in the industry:
While National General markets and manages its own insurance products, it is owned and backed by Allstate and Allstate-backed companies.
What is National General’s flood insurance phone number?
If you have a question about National General flood insurance or need to file a claim, call 888-325-1190.
What is the rating of Beyond Floods?
Policygenius gave Beyond Floods insurance a near-perfect rating due to its combination of excellent coverage options, customer service and insurance expertise, and industry-best financial stability ratings.
Pat Howard is a licensed insurance expert and former managing editor at Policygenius. Pat has written extensively about the home insurance industry and his insights as a subject matter expert have appeared in several top tier publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, and Reuters. Pat has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Michigan State University.
Jennifer Gimbel is a senior managing editor at Policygenius, where she oversees all of our insurance coverage. Previously, she was the managing editor at Finder.com and a content strategist at Babble.com.
