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Julia Taliesin is an insurance content writer at Insurify. She began her career as a journalist, covering local government and business in Somerville, Mass.
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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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If you’re a Florida homeowner in an area at high risk of flooding, your mortgage company will likely require you to buy a flood insurance policy, since standard home insurance policies don’t cover flood damage.
Florida is the most expensive U.S. state for home insurance, with an average annual rate of $5,640 for $300,000 in dwelling coverage and a $1,000 deductible, according to Insurify data. A stand-alone flood insurance policy from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) costs an average of $1,363 per year, adding to your overall home insurance costs.[1]
Here’s what you should know about flood insurance in Florida, what it costs, and how to purchase a policy.
The average annual flood insurance premium in Florida is $1,363.
Federal flood insurance covers up to $250,000 of building flood damage.
NFIP flood insurance policies typically have a 30-day waiting period before your coverage goes into effect.
FEMA phased in a risk-based pricing approach which took full effect in 2023. Before this, homeowners were paying more or less than their actual risk, creating unfair premiums, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Now FEMA looks at the likelihood of different flooding events as well as additional information like elevation and distance from flood sources, levee performance, and building characteristics, resilience, and replacement costs. NFIP premiums can change based on community development and infrastructure decisions, FEMA notes.
The average annual cost of an NFIP policy for single-family Florida homes is $1,363, above the national average of $1,290, FEMA data shows. Premiums vary geographically. For example, central Florida’s Marion County policyholders pay an average annual premium of $590, while southern Monroe County averages $4,697 per year.
Florida County  | Average Risk-Based NFIP Cost |
|---|---|
| Alachua | $704 |
| Baker | $792 |
| Bay | $1,197 |
| Bradford | $890 |
| Brevard | $1,009 |
| Broward | $943 |
| Calhoun | $1,451 |
| Charlotte | $3,414 |
| Citrus | $2,696 |
| Clay | $1,083 |
| Collier | $3,195 |
| Columbia | $939 |
| Desoto | $944 |
| Dixie | $1,466 |
| Duval | $1,151 |
| Escambia | $1,142 |
| Flagler | $1,807 |
| Franklin | $5,129 |
| Gadsden | $1,127 |
| Gilchrist | $1,061 |
| Glades | $1,069 |
| Gulf | $2,183 |
| Hamilton | $1,022 |
| Hardee | $848 |
| Hendry | $1,012 |
| Hernando | $928 |
| Highlands | $575 |
| Hillsborough | $1,840 |
| Holmes | $1,159 |
| Indian River | $1,231 |
| Jackson | $947 |
| Jefferson | $851 |
| Lafayette | $1,017 |
| Lake | $717 |
| Lee | $3,795 |
| Leon | $1,011 |
| Levy | $3,329 |
| Liberty | $801 |
| Madison | $816 |
| Manatee | $1,307 |
| Marion | $590 |
| Martin | $1,357 |
| Miami-Dade | $1,148 |
| Monroe | $4,697 |
| Nassau | $1,248 |
| Okaloosa | $1,457 |
| Okeechobee | $984 |
| Orange | $640 |
| Osceola | $656 |
| Palm Beach | $709 |
| Pasco | $969 |
| Pinellas | $2,809 |
| Polk | $644 |
| Putnam | $1,489 |
| Santa Rosa | $940 |
| Sarasota | $1,495 |
| Seminole | $736 |
| St. Johns | $1,594 |
| St. Lucie | $693 |
| Sumter | $591 |
| Suwannee | $1,040 |
| Taylor | $2,675 |
| Union | $1,047 |
| Volusia | $898 |
| Wakulla | $2,952 |
| Walton | $1,030 |
| Washington | $910 |
For most property owners, yes. Rates increased for 77% of policyholders as FEMA phased in risk-based pricing between October 2021 and April 2023. Only 4% saw rate increases of more than $20 per month.
NFIP rates will continue to rise as FEMA brings premiums in line with risk. By law, the NFIP can’t increase rates by more than 18% annually for primary residence policies. Premiums for other properties, like non-primary residences and business properties, must increase by 25% annually until they reach full risk-based rates.[2]
Rates will likely change as aging structures and severe weather patterns shift FEMA’s assessed risk levels.
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Florida law doesn’t require flood insurance for all homeowners, but most still need it. NFIP flood insurance is available to anyone in participating communities, and only nine aren’t in the program.[3]
Anyone with a federally backed mortgage in a special flood hazard area (SFHA) has to get coverage. An SFHA is any area with special flood, mudflow, or flood-related erosion hazards, according to FEMA. Everyone in the U.S. and Florida lives in an area with some flood risk, so it’s just a matter of how high or low yours is.
In 2022, Florida started requiring flood insurance for anyone with a homeowners policy through the state’s insurer of last resort, Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, regardless of their flood zone.
FEMA produces maps showing flood risk across the U.S. based on the most recent available data. SFHA zone designations start with “A” or “V,” while other letters signify low- or moderate-risk areas or areas with undetermined risk.
If you’re unsure if you’re in a high-risk zone, you can check your home or property’s risk rating with FEMA’s flood mapping tool. If you enter an address, coordinates, or even your city or county, the map will display the SFHAs in blue.
NFIP flood coverage is available to anyone in a participating community, which includes most of Florida. FEMA doesn’t use flood zones to calculate premiums but does use flood-risk information to set premiums based on a property’s risk.
You can purchase building and contents coverage through the NFIP, which will pay for any losses or physical damage directly resulting from flooding.
Building coverage protects:
Electrical, plumbing systems
Furnaces, water heaters
Refrigerators, cooking stoves, dishwashers
Permanently installed carpeting
Permanently installed cabinets, paneling, bookcases
Window blinds
Foundation walls, anchorage systems, staircases
Detached garages
Fuel tanks, well water tanks/pumps, solar energy equipment
Contents coverage protects:
Personal belongings
Curtains
Washer and dryer
Portable/window air conditioners
Microwave oven
Non-permanent carpets
Valuable items (up to $2,500)
The NFIP provides up to $250,000 of building coverage and $100,000 of contents coverage for residential properties.[4] Most Florida NFIP policies carry a replacement cost value of $450,000 to $550,000, so private flood insurance is available if you need more coverage.
NFIP covers damages from a sewer backup only if flooding directly causes them. Policies cover basement cleanup expenses and service appliances or systems but not finished basement improvements or contents.
Here’s what an NFIP building or contents policy won’t cover:
Temporary housing and living expenses
Property outside the insured building (landscaping, wells, patios, fences, pools, etc.)
Financial losses caused by business interruption
Currency, precious metals, stock certificates, valuable papers
Cars/self-propelled vehicles (including parts)
Personal property in basements
You have two options for buying flood insurance in Florida: through a private insurer or through the NFIP. The NFIP writes the majority of flood policies. But flood policies from private insurance companies may offer higher coverage limits than NFIP policies, giving homeowners more flexibility.
FEMA partners with 47 insurance companies nationwide to offer NFIP policies.[5] Here’s how to secure NFIP flood insurance in three steps:
Only nine Florida communities don’t participate, but you can check by searching FEMA’s Community Status Book for Florida’s report.
Your insurer likely partners with the NFIP to offer flood insurance, so call and ask. If they don’t, you can search the NFIP’s insurer locator to find one near you.
Consider your property value to decide whether coverage for building, contents, or both is the right fit.
If you buy flood insurance from the NFIP, you’ll typically have a waiting period of 30 days before your coverage begins. Flood insurance from a private company may have a shorter waiting period of around 10 to 15 days, but it’s important to check the requirements of each insurance company you’re considering.
State Farm is the cheapest homeowners insurance company in Florida. But it may not be the right insurer for your coverage needs.
The table below breaks down some of Florida’s cheapest home insurance companies.
Insurance Company | Average Annual Premium: With $300,000 in Dwelling Coverage |
|---|---|
| State Farm | $4,596 |
| Nationwide | $6,792 |
| Allstate | $7,308 |
| Chubb | $8,988 |
After a flood, you typically have 60 days to file a claim. Wait until it’s safe to return to your home before filing a claim. Then, follow these steps:
Contact your insurance company. Report any damage to your insurer as soon as possible. You can call your agent or initiate a claim through the insurer’s website or mobile app. You’ll need to provide information such as your policy number, contact information, and the name of your mortgage company.
Document the damage and start cleaning up. Take photographs and videos of any structural damage to your home, as well as any interior damage to your personal belongings. You can also begin cleaning up your property and throw away any items that can’t be cleaned or repaired.
Meet with an adjuster. After you initiate your claim, an insurance adjuster will contact you and set a time to inspect your property. Scams are common after widespread disasters, so it’s important to ask the insurance adjuster to provide their company ID or Flood Control Number (FCN) card and other official identification on the day of the inspection.
File your claim with a proof of loss statement. The adjuster will give you a written estimate of the damages, called the proof of loss statement. Be sure to submit this documentation when you file your claim.
Receive a settlement. Based on your coverage limits, your insurer will send you a claim payout, typically within 30 to 60 days of filing your claim.
Your lender or home insurer may not require flood insurance, but everyone has some flood risk. Since most homeowners insurance policies don’t pay for flood damage, flood insurance can be a good idea if you live in an area of high risk.
Check out the additional information below about flood insurance in Florida.
Flood insurance in Florida costs $1,363 per year, on average, according to FEMA data. Annual premiums vary widely, ranging from $575 in Highlands County to $5,129 in Franklin County.
In 2022, Florida passed a law requiring anyone with a Citizens Property Insurance Corporation homeowners insurance policy to buy flood insurance. Before that, only property owners in SFHAs with federally backed mortgages had to get it.
You need flood insurance in Florida if you have a federally backed mortgage and live in an SFHA, or if you have a home insurance policy with Citizens.
No. People selling their homes don’t have to disclose information about past flood damage. But House Bill 1049, which Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law in May 2024, requires sellers to disclose details about their home’s flood risk, including any previous claims they filed for flood damage.[6]
It typically takes 30 days for a flood insurance policy to take effect.
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Julia Taliesin is a data journalist at Insurify. She began her career as a journalist, covering local government and business in Somerville, Mass. She reported multiple investigative stories about municipal finances and budget allocation, building development and inspection, and personnel. When the pandemic began she became a de facto public health reporter, writing daily and weekly reports using available data to quickly communicate rates of infection and city response.
She's worked for print and digital outlets, writing everything from quick-hit breaking news to long-form community features. More recently, Julia managed content strategy at a startup creating a social platform for licensed nurses, overseeing a team of nurse freelancers and editing interview transcripts and news articles for publication.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in communications from Simmons University, with a focus in journalism. Outside of work, Julia enjoys working on crafting projects, learning about homesteading, and singing in cover bands.
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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