Flood Zone X: What You Need to Know

Homes in Flood Zone X have minimal to moderate risk of flooding, according to FEMA.

Katie Powers
Written byKatie Powers
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Katie PowersSenior Editor
  • Licensed auto and home insurance agent

  • 3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing

  • NPN: 20564519

Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.

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Ashley Cox
Edited byAshley Cox
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Ashley CoxSenior Managing Editor
  • 7+ years in content creation and management

  • 5+ years in insurance and personal finance content

Ashley is a seasoned personal finance editor who’s produced a variety of digital content, including insurance, credit cards, mortgages, and consumer lending products.

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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) identifies flood zones on Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs).[1] The different flood zone categorizations correlate with a land area’s risk of flooding. Areas labeled in Zone X have a minimal to moderate flood hazard.[2]

Knowing your flood zone is important so you can understand the flood risks your property faces. You should always make sure you have the home insurance coverage you need, including a flood insurance policy if you live in an area at risk of flooding.

Here’s what you need to know about Zone X and finding your flood zone.

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What is Flood Zone X?

Flood Zone X describes a land area with minimal to moderate flood hazard, depending on whether it’s shaded or unshaded.

FEMA publishes FIRMS that serve as official community maps to define special flood hazard areas (SFHAs) and the community’s specific flood zones. SFHAs are high-risk flood zones. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) uses these maps for insurance purposes, as well as floodplain management and mitigation.[3]

Though people living in Zone X aren’t at a high risk, flooding can still occur and cause damage. More than 25% of flood insurance claims filed nationwide are in areas with low or moderate risk of flooding.[4]

If you live in a Zone X community that participates in the NFIP, you have the option to buy flood insurance, but you don’t have to. But homeowners in SFHAs must purchase flood insurance.

Shaded Flood Zone X

Zone X can be shaded or unshaded on the FIRM. A shaded Zone X represents a moderate flood hazard area.

SFHAs — also sometimes called base flood zones — fall at or below base flood elevation (BFE). Properties at or below BFE are in a 100-year floodplain, meaning they have a 1% chance of flooding in a given year.

Properties in shaded Zone X or Zone B have a level of flood risk between the limits of 100-year and 500-year floods, the latter of which has a 0.2% chance of flooding each year.[5]

Unshaded Flood Zone X

An unshaded Zone X is an area of minimal flood hazard, which presents less of a hazard than a shaded Zone X.

Unshaded Zone X has protection by a levee from a 100-year flood and falls outside the 500-year flood range.[6]

Despite living in a low-risk area, you should still pay extra attention to your immediate surroundings. Areas of ponding and other poor drainage areas could cause shallow flooding in an unshaded Zone X, even if those potential problems weren’t big enough to warrant a higher risk rating from FEMA.

How to find your flood zone

Follow these steps to find your flood zone:

  1. Visit the FEMA Flood Map Service Center (MSC).

  2. Enter your address. 

  3. View your property’s flood zone and estimated flood risk.

FIRMs from FEMA help you understand your flood risk and serve as a good starting indicator of your flood insurance premium. FEMA quantifies flood zone risk by an area’s annual chance of flooding.

Is flood insurance required in Zone X?

No. Flood insurance generally isn’t required if you live in Zone X. But one-third of flood insurance claims come from areas with a low to moderate flood risk. Opting for a flood insurance policy can ensure your property is protected in the event of a flood.

Zone X flood insurance cost

People with single-family homes who buy a flood insurance policy through the NFIP pay an average of $786 per year for flood insurance. If you live in Zone X, your premiums could be lower, since FEMA considers this zone to be at a lower risk of flooding.

How much you pay for a flood insurance policy depends on whether you buy it from the NFIP or a private insurer, your specific location, and the details of your property.

Other flood zone designations

FEMA has flood zone types with low, moderate, and high risk of flooding. Homes with a high risk of flooding face a much greater chance of flooding. Such areas can face additional hazards, like water-surge hazards from a severe storm or natural disaster.

Here’s a quick guide to the main flood zone designations. Compare flood insurance requirements, risk levels, and details below.[7]

Flood Zone
sort ascsort desc
Risk Level
sort ascsort desc
Details
sort ascsort desc
Flood Insurance Required?
sort ascsort desc
Zones V and VEHigh (SFHA)High-risk coastal areas with added hazard from storm wavesYes
Zones A, AE, AH, AO, AR, and A99High (SFHA)Risk stems from to proximity to a pond, stream, river, or protective barrier under constructionYes
Zone B and X (shaded)ModerateMay have decreased risk through flood mitigation efforts, but can experience shallow floodingNo, but recommended
Zone C and X (unshaded)LowLower risk of flooding but still some riskNo, but recommended

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Do you need coverage from the National Flood Insurance Program?

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is a federal program that helps provide affordable flood insurance for property owners. It also helps with environmental planning so communities can develop and maintain floodplain management regulations. You must live in an NFIP community in order to purchase flood insurance through the program, which sells coverage through a network of private insurance partners.

If you live in a high-risk SFHA, you have to purchase flood insurance. Even if you live in an area with a low or moderate risk of flooding, purchasing flood insurance through a private insurer or the NFIP is a good idea.

Flood Zone X FAQs

It’s important to know the flood zone you live in and the associated risks. The following information can help answer your remaining questions about Flood Zone X.

  • What does shaded Flood Zone X mean?

    A shaded Zone X is an area with a moderate flood hazard. Properties in this zone face a level of risk somewhere between the limits of 100-year and 500-year floods.

  • Should you buy flood insurance in Zone X?

    Even though flood insurance in Zone X isn’t required, it may still be a good idea to purchase a policy. One-third of flood insurance claims come from areas with a low or moderate flood risk, according to FEMA. If a flood damages your home and you don’t have a flood insurance policy, you’d have to pay out of pocket to make the repairs.

  • Do you need flood insurance in Zone X in Florida?

    No. Homeowners living in Zone X don’t legally need to purchase flood insurance. Only Zones A and V have mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements. But it’s always a good idea to purchase flood insurance if you face a low to moderate risk of flooding. Standard home insurance policies don’t cover flood damage.

  • What is the best flood zone rating?

    Unshaded Zones C and X have a low risk of flooding, which is better than a moderate or high risk. You can still face risks from local drainage problems, shallow pooling water, and more.

  • What is the worst flood zone?

    Flood Zones A and V are at the highest risk of flooding. If you have a property in one of these zones, your mortgage lender will likely require you to purchase a separate flood insurance policy. And if you have a federally backed mortgage, you’ll have to buy flood insurance as a condition of the mortgage.

  • Does Flood Zone X require flood insurance in Louisiana?

    No. If you live in a Flood Zone X, you don’t have to meet the requirement of buying flood insurance. But you should consider purchasing home insurance if you live in a geographic area with a low or moderate risk of flooding because a flood event can cause a lot of damage. Ask your insurance agent for help during the process if you need it.

Methodology

Insurify data scientists analyzed rates from more than 180 home insurance companies sourced directly from Insurify’s partner companies and Quadrant Information Services. Rates span all 50 states and Washington, D.C., and quote averages represent the mean price for a given coverage level and geographic area. To ensure data reliability, only insurers meeting minimum quote thresholds were included in the analysis.

Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for homeowners with no prior claims and good credit with a home construction year of 1980. The default coverage assumptions include:

Default Coverage Assumptions

  • Dwelling coverage: $300,000
  • Deductible: $1,000
  • Personal property limit: $25,000
  • Liability limit: $300,000

Additional data points beyond these default values are sourced from Insurify’s proprietary database. Rates are updated monthly.

Sources

  1. New York City Department of City Planning. "Climate Resiliency Initiatives - Frequently Asked Questions."
  2. FEMA. "Flood Zones."
  3. FEMA. "How to Read a Flood Map."
  4. FEMA. "Flood Insurance and the NFIP."
  5. FEMA. "Zone B and X (Shaded)."
  6. FEMA. "Zone C or X (Unshaded)."
  7. Federal Emergency Management Agency. "Flood zones and maps."
Katie Powers
Katie PowersSenior Editor

Katie Powers is an insurance writer at Insurify with a producer’s license for property and casualty insurance in New York and expertise in personal finance and auto insurance topics. She strives to help consumers make better financial decisions. Prior to joining Insurify, she completed her undergraduate and graduate degrees at Emerson College. Her work has been published in St. Louis Magazine, the Boston Globe, and elsewhere. Connect with Katie on LinkedIn.

Ashley Cox
Edited byAshley CoxSenior Managing Editor
Headshot of Managing Editor Ashley Cox
Ashley CoxSenior Managing Editor
  • 7+ years in content creation and management

  • 5+ years in insurance and personal finance content

Ashley is a seasoned personal finance editor who’s produced a variety of digital content, including insurance, credit cards, mortgages, and consumer lending products.

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