How Much Does Flood Insurance Cost?

You’ve fallen in love with that charming little house near the river. But if you buy it, your mortgage lender will require you to get flood insurance. Will the extra expense put your dream home out of reach?

Your flood insurance cost will depend on many factors, including the size, location and elevation of your house. To get a rough idea of what you can expect to pay, check out the average costs of flood insurance below.

How much is flood insurance?

The average flood insurance cost in the U.S. is $976 a year or about $81 a month, according to NerdWallet’s analysis of 2026 National Flood Insurance Program rates. (This figure doesn't include private flood insurance policies from companies that aren't backed by the NFIP.)

Flood insurance for renters can be much cheaper if you need to cover your personal belongings only. You can buy up to $100,000 worth of coverage for your stuff.

Flood insurance cost by state

For a rough idea of how much you might pay, check out the average flood insurance rates for each state, according to NFIP data. Rates are for all NFIP policies, including commercial policies, and include the mandatory federal policy fee. Depending on where you live, your premium might be subject to discounts or other surcharges.

Flood insurance cost by county

Use our tool below to find the average cost of NFIP insurance in your county, parish or city. (Keep in mind that not all communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program.)

Flood insurance cost by flood zone

If you live in an area with a higher flood risk, you’ll generally pay higher premiums. You can see your home’s risk by entering your address into the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Flood Map Service Center.

Zones that start with the letter A or V have the highest risk of flooding, while low- or moderate-risk zones start with the letters B, C or X. Properties in Zone D have an unknown risk because analysis hasn’t yet taken place.

Here’s how flood rates vary between higher- and lower-risk zones.

You can get a flood insurance quote for your individual property on the NFIP’s website.

» MORE: How to choose the best flood insurance

How Risk Rating 2.0 affects flood insurance costs

In October 2021, FEMA began using an approach called Risk Rating 2.0 to set flood insurance rates. FEMA now looks at variables like flood frequency and rebuilding cost when evaluating each home’s chance of flooding. Risk Rating 2.0 is part of an effort to set prices that reflect each property's flood risk.

Premiums dropped for about 23% of existing policyholders under the new methodology. Everyone else paid the same or more, according to FEMA.

In most cases, federal law prevents your premium from going up by more than 18% in any given year. (Exceptions include vacation homes and properties that have had multiple severe flood claims.)

Because of this cap, it may take a while for homes with underpriced policies to reach what FEMA sees as an accurate rate. Some policyholders may face years of 18% increases. The U.S. Government Accountability Office estimates that it will take until the year 2037 for 95% of NFIP policies to reach their full risk rate

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United States Government Accountability Office. Flood Insurance: FEMA's New Rate-Setting Methodology Improves Actuarial Soundness but Highlights Need for Broader Program Reform. Accessed May 15, 2026. View all sources .

» MORE: What is FEMA and what can it do for you?

What affects your flood insurance cost?

Many factors determine how much you’ll pay for flood insurance.

Your home’s location and characteristics

Your home’s flood insurance rate could vary based on answers to questions such as:

• How close is the house to a river or other flood source?

• How much would it cost to rebuild your home?

• How high is the first floor?

• How often does the surrounding area flood?

Together, these and other factors determine how likely it is that a flood could damage your home. In general, the higher the risk, the more you’ll pay for flood insurance.

Your community

If you live in a place that takes certain steps to lessen its risk of flood damage, you could be eligible for a discount on your flood insurance. These steps could include:

• Managing stormwater.

• Maintaining levees.

• Requiring real estate agents to disclose when a property is prone to flooding.

Discounts range from 5% to 45%, depending on your community’s rating class.

Your coverage and deductibles

The more coverage you need, the more your insurance will cost. Say you have a small home that needs only $125,000 of building coverage. All other factors being equal, it’ll probably cost less to insure than a larger house that needs the NFIP’s maximum coverage of $250,000.

Choosing a higher deductible will also generally lower your premium. A deductible is the amount of a claim you pay yourself.

» MORE: Complete guide to hurricane insurance

How to save on flood insurance

You may be able to shave a bit off your premium by taking the following steps.

Shop around

There may be private insurance companies in your area that will cover your property at a lower rate than the NFIP. You can find them by contacting a local insurance agent. Learn more about private flood insurance.

Adjust your deductible or coverage limits

As noted above, choosing a higher deductible or buying less coverage can help you lower your annual flood insurance cost. But either option will leave you responsible for paying more in the event of a claim. Be sure you'll have enough cash on hand if needed.

Reduce your flood risk

If you reduce your home’s chance of flood damage, you could see a discount on your insurance. Below are some ideas from the Boston city government, along with estimated costs.

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City of Boston. Flood Retrofits. Accessed May 15, 2026. View all sources

Some of these options cost so much that they may not be worth doing just to get an insurance discount. But if your home is in a high-risk location or has flooded before, these upgrades may spare you the stress of dealing with a future flood.

Submit an elevation certificate

An elevation certificate shows the elevation of your home’s lowest floor, plus the building’s location and features. The NFIP usually doesn’t require you to have an elevation certificate to get a policy. But sometimes providing your insurance agent with a certificate could help you qualify for a lower rate.

To get an elevation certificate, ask your local flood plain manager if there’s one on file for your home. You may also be able to get one from the property’s builder or former owner.

If your home doesn’t have an elevation certificate, you can hire a land surveyor, engineer or architect to create one. The average cost is roughly $400 to $750.

^[3]

Angi. How Much Does an Elevation Certificate Cost? [2026 Data]. Accessed May 15, 2026. View all sources