Hello Shelli,

Orion180 is committed to being the premier partner for independent agents. To help ensure we are providing the best support possible, we recently conducted listening sessions with agents to understand the real-world challenges and successes they face in today’s flood market.

You already know the statistics—99% of U.S. counties have experienced a flood event. But it’s equally important to use that knowledge strategically to protect your clients and your book. Here are the tactical insights from your peers on how they turn optional flood coverage into bound policies:

The Agent Success Strategies

• The map trap reality check: Chance Hazeltine of Sarasota, FL, is with Goosehead Insurance, and reminds clients that FEMA maps are often outdated the moment they are released. He points out that development is the #1 driver of new flood risks—where yesterday there was an open field, today there are 200 homes. Every time someone sticks a shovel in the ground, the way water drains adapts and the flood risk changes. His rule: Quote flood 100% of the time, because the landscape changes faster than mapping can keep up with.

• The cash-poor solution: Jordan Altenhof, with Goosehead Insurance in Rockledge, FL, recognizes that clients can often be low on funds on closing day. She leverages Orion180’s monthly pay option to make the flood premium manageable ($40/month vs. $800 upfront). If they still pass, she sets a 60-day follow-up for when their savings have rebounded after the move.

• Speed and the reputation shield: Matthew Brooks is with Golden Gulf Insurance Services in Biloxi, MS, and lived through Hurricane Katrina. He saw the fallout of inadequate coverage. He treats flood as a necessity to prevent the dire consequences of a denied claim. To keep his workflow moving, he leans on Orion180’s 3-minute quoting process, noting that other carriers can take up to 15 minutes for the same result. That speed allows him to provide an educational, multi-line quote without slowing down the sale.

More Reasons to Quote Flood

• Precision Pricing: Orion180's home-specific risk analysis evaluates the unique features of a property to deliver precise, personalized coverage and pricing.

• Superior coverage limits: We offer higher limits than the NFIP—up to $1M for property and $250k for contents—allowing you to better protect high-value homes.

• Better coverage Options: Our policies include Additional Living Expenses (up to $15k) and Swimming Pool Cleanup and Repair (up to $10k) to ensure your clients have true financial stability during recovery.

• Automatic replacement cost: While the NFIP settles personal property at Actual Cash Value (ACV), we provide Replacement Cost (RC) automatically for both the building and personal property.

• No elevation certificate (EC) required: We leverage high-resolution geocoding to eliminate the need for an EC entirely, saving your clients both time and money.

• Faster protection: Our standard waiting period is only 10 days (compared to the NFIP’s 30). Best of all, the waiting period can be waived for property closings or loan transfers.