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Florida Flood Insurance Costs and Coverage

Published on:
Content was accurate at the time of publication.

The average cost of flood insurance in Florida is $760 a year, but prices vary widely by flood zone.

Lenders require flood insurance in Florida’s high-risk flood zones, and the state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is rolling out new flood insurance requirements for its customers.

The average cost of flood insurance in Florida is $760 a year for policies obtained through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Most flood insurance is bought through the NFIP, a federally backed program managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). However, several private companies also offer flood insurance in Florida.

The average price of NFIP flood insurance in Florida ranges from $541 a year in low-risk flood zones to $2,472 a year in high-risk areas.

Flood zoneAnnual rate
V$2,472
VE$648
A$886
A99$1,064
AE$957
AH$568
B, C and X$541

Source: FEMA

On FEMA’s flood maps, any zone that begins with the letter V (in coastal areas) or A (inland areas) is considered high-risk. Zones B, C and X signify low- and moderate-risk areas.

High-risk areas have a 1% chance of flooding each year and a 26% chance of flooding over the life of a 30-year mortgage.

V and A flood zones have subzones:

  • VE and AE zones include areas where FEMA has identified the elevation for flooding to occur.
  • AH zones are susceptible to shallow flooding.
  • A99 zones are high-risk areas where flood control systems are being built.

You can find your flood zone, or the flood zone for a home you want to buy, in the Flood Map Service Center on FEMA’s website.

In Florida’s counties, NFIP flood insurance rates range from $444 a year in Bay County to $1,672 in Franklin County.

The average cost of flood insurance in Miami-Dade County is $528 a year. Homeowners in Duval County pay an average of $668 a year for flood insurance.

CountyAnnual rate
Alachua County$593
Baker County$738
Bay County$444
Bradford County$759
Brevard County$561
Broward County$518
Calhoun County$946
Charlotte County$1,317
Citrus County$1,560
Clay County$737
Collier County$879
Columbia County$689
DeSoto County$889
Dixie County$1,209
Duval County$668
Escambia County$649
Flagler County$621
Franklin County$1,672
Gadsden County$700
Gilchrist County$834
Glades County$602
Gulf County$1,131
Hamilton County$713
Hardee County$1,099
Hendry County$849
Hernando County$1,166
Highlands County$501
Hillsborough County$1,097
Holmes County$819
Indian River County$770
Jackson County$795
Jefferson County$635
Lafayette County$822
Lake County$618
Lee County$1,174
Leon County$751
Levy County$1,494
Liberty County$727
Madison County$647
Manatee County$1,027
Marion County$550
Martin County$665
Miami-Dade County$528
Monroe County$1,665
Nassau County$643
Okaloosa County$528
Okeechobee County$716
Orange County$553
Osceola County$539
Palm Beach County$480
Pasco County$1,055
Pinellas County$1,110
Polk County$534
Putnam County$843
Santa Rosa County$645
Sarasota County$1,007
Seminole County$623
St. Johns County$680
St. Lucie County$503
Sumter County$499
Suwannee County$795
Taylor County$1,384
Union County$790
Volusia County$511
Wakulla County$1,598
Walton County$452
Washington County$793

Source: FEMA

Flood insurance in Florida has traditionally been required to get a mortgage for a home located in any FEMA flood zone beginning with the letter V or A.

Citizens is also phasing in flood insurance requirements for its customers:

  • In 2023, Citizens began requiring home insurance customers in high-risk flood zones to have flood insurance, regardless of mortgage status.
  • As of 2024, Citizens customers with homes insured for $600,000 or more in any flood zone also need flood insurance.
  • By Jan. 1, 2027, all Citizens home insurance customers will need to have flood insurance. The only exceptions are for condominium unit owners or if your policy does not include wind and hail coverage.

Citizens does not offer flood insurance.

Here’s why flood insurance is worth considering when it’s not required for a loan or Citizens policy:

  • Flooding is a widespread risk throughout Florida.
  • Floods can impact areas outside of high-risk flood zones.
  • Standard home insurance does not cover damage from floods, including storm surges from a hurricane or tropical storm.
  • Flood damage is expensive. The average cost of a flood insurance claim is more than $66,000, according to FEMA.

NFIP flood insurance offers up to $250,000 in building coverage for your home and up to $100,000 in contents coverage for your belongings.

The coverage only applies to conditions that meet FEMA’s definition of a flood, which include storm surges. Flood insurance does not cover a burst pipe or a water backup that fills your home with water.

Policies are available for most types of homes, including mobile homes and condominium units. Contents-only coverage is available to renters.

If you are getting flood insurance for a mortgage, you can have your policy begin on your close date. Otherwise, there is a 30-day waiting period for NFIP policies.

NFIP vs. private flood insurance

Although most flood insurance is bought through the NFIP, several private companies also offer flood insurance in Florida. Some of the better-known companies include:

  • Allstate
  • Chubb
  • Progressive
  • Tower Hill
  • Wright Flood

Private companies often offer more coverage than NFIP policies provide.

For example, several private flood insurance companies offer loss of use. This covers your temporary living expenses if a flood damages your home and you have to leave while it’s repaired. NFIP does not offer loss of use.

Private companies usually offer higher coverage limits than the NFIP. These higher limits can come in handy if it costs more than $250,000 to repair or rebuild your home after a flood.

Private flood insurance also often has a shorter waiting period than the NFIP.

NFIP vs. private flood insurance comparison

CoverageNFIPWright FloodAllstate
Building$250,000$5 million$1.5 million
Contents$100,000$250,000$750,000
Loss of useNot availableAvailable$150,000
Waiting period30 days (waived for loan closings)Seven days (waived for loan closings)Seven days (waived for loan closings)

Flood insurance is widely available from local insurance companies throughout Florida.

FEMA makes NFIP policies available through insurance agents who complete its certification program. These include agents who work for well-known brands, such as State Farm and Allstate, as well as those who work for independent agencies.

To get started, just ask your current home insurance agent for an NFIP flood insurance quote. If you’re still shopping for home insurance, ask the agents you contact for home and flood insurance quotes.

There are different ways to shop for private flood insurance:

  • When you contact a company that offers flood insurance, it typically gives you a choice between its own flood insurance and an NFIP policy.
  • Some flood insurance agencies act as brokers. They can often provide quotes from the NFIP and multiple private flood insurance companies.

Shopping around, choosing higher deductibles and reducing your home’s flood risks are among the best ways to save money on flood insurance.

Why shop around for flood insurance

Comparing your NFIP flood insurance quote to quotes from multiple private companies is a good way to make sure you are not overpaying.

The price of an NFIP policy should be the same, regardless of where you get it. However, the cost of private flood insurance varies by company.

Why higher deductibles lower your flood insurance rate

Choosing a higher deductible lowers your flood insurance rate because it reduces the amount the insurer has to pay you for a claim.

Deductibles for NFIP policies range from $1,000 to $10,000 for building coverage and contents coverage. If a flood damages your home and possessions, you pay both deductibles.

How to reduce your home’s flood risk

Reducing the amount of damage a flood may cause to your home can often help you lower your flood insurance rates.

For example, you may get a discount for elevating your HVAC, water heater and/or other systems to a higher floor, according to FEMA.

Installing openings designed to let potential floodwaters pass through your home’s lowest floor is another way to reduce your flood insurance rate.

The average price of flood insurance in Florida is $760 a year. Prices range from $541 in low-risk flood zones to $2,472 in high-risk areas.

If you have a mortgage, you must get flood insurance for any home located in a flood zone beginning with the letter V or A. Citizens has additional requirements for its customers.

The new flood insurance law in Florida expands flood insurance requirements to Citizens’ home insurance customers. Citizens currently requires customers in high-risk flood zones or with a high-value home in any zone to have flood insurance. By 2027, Citizens will require all customers to have flood insurance, with limited exceptions.

Methodology

Rates are based on an analysis of FEMA records on policies in force as of Dec. 31, 2023.

Average rates for the state, each county and each flood zone is based on prices on NFIP rates for residential and non-residential properties of all types. Your rates may vary.