The insurance agent told us that since its a new policy its an automatically 30 days from the date submitted.
I would be pushing back on that.
From the FDIC compliance manual:
Waiting Period
NFIP flood insurance policies that are not issued in conjunction with the making, increasing, extending or renewing of a loan have a 30-day waiting period. The congressional intent behind this requirement was to prevent the purchase of flood insurance (and any direct loss to the U.S. government) in times of imminent loss.
From FEMA General Rules- April 2017:
No Waiting Period (Loan Transaction)
Flood insurance that is initially purchased in connection with the making, increasing, extending, or renewal of a loan shall be effective at the time of loan closing, provided that the policy is applied for at or before closing.