Insurance treats water by its source, not by how much of it ends up in your home. A standard homeowners policy generally covers sudden and accidental water damage from inside the house, such as a burst pipe, an overflowing appliance, or rain that enters through storm damage to the roof. These are the losses most Kansas City homeowners assume they are protected against.
Flood damage means water that rises from the outside, such as an overflowing creek, heavy surface runoff, or a storm surge. Standard homeowners policies exclude this, so coverage requires a separate policy through the National Flood Insurance Program, or NFIP. Confirm your exact coverage with your agent before storm season, because the source of the water decides which policy applies.