When you buy a home or refinance one that's in a flood zone, you'll need FEMA flood insurance. The maximum insurance for a private home is $250,000 for the house and $100,000 for possessions. In a sale, you're unlikely to get a loan if the value of the structure and loan exceeds $250,000. The insurance is also pricey. The flip side of this is that normally, the lender will only require that the amount of the principal is insured. In other words, if you're refinancing your home and the new loan is only $125,000, the lender will likely only require flood insurance for the $125K, even if the structure is worth more.