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// CONDO FLOOD INSURANCE
Flood Insurance for Condo Owners in Baton Rouge
Most Louisiana condo associations don't carry a flood policy that covers your unit. That means your walls, floors, cabinets, and belongings have zero flood protection unless you carry your own policy. Step one: ask your association.
Most Condo Owners Don't Have the Flood Coverage They Think They Do
There's a common assumption that your condo association's insurance covers flood damage to your unit. In most cases, it doesn't. The master flood policy that covers individual units is called an RCBAP (Residential Condominium Building Association Policy), and many Louisiana associations, especially smaller complexes, townhome communities, and older buildings, don't carry one.
Without an RCBAP on the building, your unit's walls, flooring, cabinets, fixtures, and built-in appliances have zero flood coverage. Your personal belongings aren't covered either. If floodwater gets into your unit, you're paying for all of it out of pocket.
The first thing we tell condo owners: ask your association if they have an RCBAP. The answer changes what kind of policy you need, but it doesn't change whether you need one. Either way, you need your own flood insurance.
// WHAT'S COVERED
What Condo Flood Insurance Covers
Building Coverage (Your Unit)
If your association doesn't have an RCBAP, nothing is covering your unit's walls, flooring, cabinets, fixtures, or built-in appliances from flood damage. Your own Dwelling Form policy provides building coverage for everything inside your unit.
Contents Coverage
Covers your furniture, electronics, clothing, kitchen items, and other personal belongings. Even if your association has an RCBAP, it doesn't cover your personal property. You need contents coverage regardless.
Improvements & Upgrades
Upgraded your kitchen counters, installed new flooring, or renovated the bathroom? Whether your association has an RCBAP or not, your improvements add value that you'd need to replace out of pocket without your own flood policy.
Loss Assessment
If your association's flood policy doesn't cover the full cost of building repairs, or if they don't have one at all and need to make emergency repairs, they can assess unit owners for the cost. Loss assessment coverage helps pay your share.
Additional Living Expenses
If flood damage makes your condo unit uninhabitable, some private flood policies cover temporary housing and living costs while repairs are made. NFIP does not include this coverage for condo owners.
Flooring & Cabinets
Flooring is one of the first things damaged in a flood and one of the most expensive to replace. Without an RCBAP on the building, your unit's floors, cabinets, and drywall have zero flood coverage unless you carry your own policy.
Why Baton Rouge Condo Owners Choose Chabert
Condo flood insurance is one of the most misunderstood products in the industry. Most condo owners either don't know they need it or assume their association has it handled. We start by helping you figure out whether your building has an RCBAP, then build your policy around whatever gaps exist.
We offer both NFIP and private flood policies for condo unit owners. If your association doesn't have an RCBAP, you need a Dwelling Form policy with both building and contents coverage. If they do have an RCBAP, your policy becomes excess to it, and you still need contents coverage and loss assessment protection. Private carriers can also add temporary living expenses and replacement cost on contents, which NFIP doesn't offer.
If you already have a condo insurance policy, adding flood coverage makes sure you're protected from every angle. Your condo insurance handles fire, theft, and liability. Your flood policy handles the water damage that your condo insurance specifically excludes.
If your condo floods, call your flood insurance carrier's claims line first to start the process. Document the damage with photos and video before cleanup begins. If you need help understanding what's covered or coordinating between your personal policy and your association's coverage, call us at (225) 395-4000. We can walk you through it.
Get Your Condo Flood Quote
Or call (225) 395-4000 to talk to a local agent.
// WHAT YOU NEED
What You Need Depends on Your Association
The first question to ask: does your condo association carry an RCBAP?
If your association has an RCBAP
The RCBAP covers the building structure, common areas, and interior building elements in your unit (walls, flooring, cabinets, fixtures). Your personal Dwelling Form policy becomes excess to the RCBAP for building coverage, and the combined payout between both policies can't exceed $250,000 per unit under NFIP. You still need your own policy for contents coverage and loss assessment protection.
If your association does not have an RCBAP
This is the more common scenario in Louisiana. Without an RCBAP, nothing is covering your unit's walls, floors, cabinets, or fixtures from flood damage. You need a Dwelling Form policy with both building coverage (for the interior of your unit) and contents coverage (for your personal belongings). This is a bigger policy than what you'd need with an RCBAP in place, but it's the only way to protect your unit.
Either way, you need your own policy
Whether your association has an RCBAP or not, you need flood insurance as a condo owner. The RCBAP doesn't cover your personal property. And without one, nothing covers your unit's interior at all. We can help you figure out exactly what you need based on your association's coverage.
Ground floor units
If your condo is on the ground floor, your flood risk is significantly higher than upper-floor units. Floodwater enters ground-level units first, and the damage is often more severe. Flood insurance is especially important for ground-floor condo owners in Louisiana, regardless of flood zone.
Condo Flood Insurance FAQ
Maybe, but probably not. An RCBAP (Residential Condominium Building Association Policy) is a master flood policy that can cover the entire building, including unit interiors. But many Louisiana condo associations, especially smaller complexes and townhome communities, don't carry one. The first step is to ask your association. If they don't have an RCBAP, your unit's walls, floors, and cabinets have zero flood coverage unless you carry your own policy.
Even with an RCBAP on the building, you still need your own policy. The RCBAP doesn't cover your personal property (furniture, electronics, clothing). You need contents coverage for that. Your personal Dwelling Form policy becomes excess to the RCBAP for building elements, and the combined payout between both policies can't exceed $250,000 per unit under NFIP. You should also carry loss assessment coverage in case the RCBAP limits are exceeded.
This is the more common scenario in Louisiana, and it means you need both building and contents coverage on your own Dwelling Form policy. Building coverage protects your unit's walls, flooring, cabinets, fixtures, and built-in appliances. Contents coverage protects your personal belongings. Without an RCBAP on the building, nothing else is covering your unit from flood damage. For more on what flood insurance covers, see our flood insurance coverage guide.
Rates depend on your flood zone, coverage amount, floor level, and whether you go with NFIP or a private carrier. If your association has an RCBAP and you only need contents coverage, the cost is lower. If you need both building and contents on your own, the premium is higher but still essential. For more on pricing, see our flood insurance cost guide.
More than 25% of flood claims come from outside high-risk areas. If your unit is on the ground floor or a lower level, the risk is higher regardless of zone. And if your association doesn't have an RCBAP, you have no flood protection at all without your own policy. Read more in our guide on whether you need flood insurance in Louisiana.
Yes. Private flood carriers offer condo unit owner policies that can provide broader coverage and sometimes lower rates than NFIP. Private policies may include additional living expenses, replacement cost on contents, and higher limits. For a full comparison, see our NFIP vs. private flood insurance guide.
Still have questions? Call (225) 395-4000 or get your free quote.
Flood Insurance Guides & Resources
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NFIP vs. Private Flood Insurance in Louisiana: An Honest Comparison
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How Much Does Flood Insurance Cost in Louisiana?
How much is flood insurance in Louisiana? Most homeowners pay $826 to $1,470 per year depending on flood zone and carrier. See costs by city and parish.
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What Does Flood Insurance Cover (and What Doesn't It)?
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Related Coverage
Pair your condo flood policy with your condo insurance to make sure your unit is protected from both flood and non-flood losses. And if you're in a Zone X area, don't skip flood coverage just because your lender doesn't require it.
