NFIP First Notice of Loss

NFIP First Notice of Loss (FNOL) is the initial notification to the WYO Company that the insured has suffered a flood insurance loss.

The information related to the claim can be provided by the Insured or a Representative of the Insured by entering the information through e-mail on their Consumer Portal account, by notifying their agent, or by contacting the WYO Company directly.

Information that is required to report a claim includes

• the policy number or property location,
• the date of the loss, and
• the phone number and/or email address of the person the claims adjuster will be working with on the claim. 

It is also very helpful to validate the mortgage information to ensure the correct mortgagee is shown on the policy.

It is also important that the person that is taking the information from the insured understands the definition of flood.  This helps avoid adjuster assignments for uncovered losses.  The NFIP definition of flood is:  

Two or more properties or acres of normally dry land that are partially or completely submerged by water from any of these events:

• Overflowing inland or tidal waters.
• Unusual, quick surface water runoff.
• Mudflows (rivers of liquid, flowing mud) caused by flooding.

Types of losses that are commonly reported in error relate to interior leaking or bursting of pipes, toilet or sink overflow, wind driven rain, etc.  In many cases these should be reported to the insured’s homeowner’s insurance carrier.

Information received at the time of the FNOL, along with the policy information contained on the Declarations Page at the time of the loss, is provided to a claims adjuster.  The adjuster will contact the insured to schedule a site visit or to document the claim according to the WYO Carrier and FEMA’s direction.

This page contains information about the NFIP. Find more NFIP Resources.