Though flooding is the most common natural disaster in the U.S., only a tiny percent of Hamilton County residents have flood insurance policies as the county reels from major flash floods, federal data shows.
There are 1,732 flood insurance policies in the county through the National Flood Insurance Program, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The county had 173,678 housing units in 2024, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
That means around 1% of county dwellings are covered by federal flood insurance, the most common kind of policy. Both homeowners and renters can buy flood insurance policies.
Typical homeowner or renter insurance policies do not cover damage from flooding.
That lack of coverage is a common misconception, said Kevin Walters, spokesperson for the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance.