River-Flood Coverage for Covington Property Owners
Flood Insurance in Covington, LA
Covington's flood of record is 19.2 feet on the Bogue Falaya at Boston Street, set on 12 March 2016 — a river crest, not a hurricane surge. Standard homeowners insurance pays nothing toward river flooding, and The Root Agency helps Covington property owners close that gap.
Most Covington property owners should carry flood insurance, because Covington's flood risk is riverine rather than coastal. The NOAA gauge on the Bogue Falaya at Boston Street has a flood stage of 6 feet and a record crest of 19.2 feet set on 12 March 2016. Homeowners insurance never covers rising water from a river, so a separate NFIP or private flood policy is the only protection that responds.
- Covington's flood of record: 19.2 feet on the Bogue Falaya, 12 March 2016.
- Flood stage at that gauge is 6 feet; major flood stage is 17 feet.
- Four of the six highest crests on record have happened since 2001.
- Covington sits where the Bogue Falaya meets the Tchefuncte — two rivers, not one.
The Root Agency provides flood insurance in Covington, served from our Baton Rouge office and licensed across Louisiana.
Why it floods here
Does Covington Flood the Way the Rest of St. Tammany Does?
Not really, and the difference is the whole point. Slidell and the lakefront towns flood when Lake Pontchartrain is pushed north by a hurricane. Covington sits well inland of that, at the junction of the Bogue Falaya and the Tchefuncte, and its water arrives the ordinary way — downstream, from rain that fell somewhere north of town. The city's own flood page sends residents to real-time gauges on both rivers, because in Covington you have to watch two.
Source: NOAA National Water Prediction Service · City of Covington · USGS
The record shows how sharp that can get. NOAA lists Covington's flood of record at 19.2 feet on 12 March 2016 — a March event, entirely separate from the August 2016 flood that devastated the Baton Rouge area. Behind it: 17.1 feet in January 1993, 16.63 feet in July 2003, 16.5 feet in February 1961, 15.91 feet in June 2001 and 15.49 feet during Hurricane Ida in August 2021. Four of those six crests have come since 2001, and they land in March, July, January, June and August. Covington's flood season is not a season.
What it covers — and what it doesn't
What Flood Insurance Covers in Covington
Building Property Coverage
The permanent parts of the house: slab or piers, framing, electrical, mechanical systems, cabinetry and fixtures, up to your policy limit.
Personal Property Coverage
Belongings, insured separately from the building. River flooding tends to arrive with a few hours of notice and a great deal of silt, which is exactly what contents coverage exists for.
NFIP Coverage
Federally backed flood insurance open to every Covington property owner, with the city's Community Rating System discount applied to the premium.
Private Flood Insurance
Private-market policies that can offer higher limits or coverages NFIP does not. Worth comparing on riverfront and downtown properties.
Preferred Risk Policies
Lower-cost coverage many Covington properties outside the high-risk zones qualify for. A modest premium for real protection.
Not sure what your current flood policy actually covers?
Why choose us
Why Covington Property Owners Choose The Root Agency
Covington's exposure is a river-stage problem, and it gets mispriced by people who assume every St. Tammany address is a surge address. What matters here is where your floor sits relative to the Bogue Falaya and the Tchefuncte, not how far you are from the lake. The Root Agency has walked Louisiana families through the 2016 floods on both sides of the state, Hurricane Ida and every season since — Steve Root with more than 20 years at Allstate, and The Advocate's 2025 Best of Baton Rouge award. We read your flood insurance options against the watershed you actually live in.
- Know Your Two Rivers: Downtown and riverfront Covington answers to the Bogue Falaya and the Tchefuncte separately. Watch both gauges, not one.
- Ask About an Elevation Certificate: With a 6-foot flood stage and a 19.2-foot record, a few inches of documented elevation can move a river-rated premium meaningfully.
- Do Not Plan Around a Federal Project: The Corps studied channel improvements on Mile Branch in Covington as part of its St. Tammany work. Studies are not built protection.
- Mind the 30-Day Wait: Most new flood policies take 30 days to take effect. Covington's record crest came in March, so there is no safe month to postpone.
Where we serve
Serving Covington from Our Baton Rouge Office
The Root Agency operates from one office, on Goodwood Blvd in Baton Rouge, licensed across Louisiana and Mississippi. We are not a Covington agency and do not claim a north shore address. Covington clients work with us by phone, email and text — quoting, elevation-certificate review, annual policy checks and claim support all handled remotely. We serve Folsom, Goodbee and Bush the same way. Distance does not change the read: we know Covington's water comes down the Bogue Falaya rather than up from the lake, and we price it that way.
Ready to protect your Covington home?
FAQ
Flood Insurance in Covington — Common Questions
Sources
Talk to a Louisiana flood specialist
Tell us about your Covington property and we’ll review your options — no pressure, no obligation.