Your house is in a flood zone. Now what?
Type your address. We’ll pull FEMA’s official map, the claims paid near you, and the disaster history for your county — then walk you through NFIP and private options side by side, in plain English. Nothing here binds coverage.
Free, no email required. The checker is guidance, not a legal finding: it can’t sell or bind a policy, file a map amendment, or replace FEMA’s official determination.
Your address
Zone data: FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer. Elevation: USGS. Claims: FEMA OpenFEMA. The quote comes after the check, never before.
The zone letters, translated.
FEMA’s map speaks in letters. Here’s what each one means for your mortgage and your premium — the same key our checker uses when it marks your address.
Remember: there’s no such thing as a no-risk zone — FEMA’s words, not ours. Read the full breakdown in Flood zones, explained.
- Zone AE / A
- High risk. The Special Flood Hazard Area — a 1% or greater annual chance of flooding. If your mortgage is federally backed, insurance here is usually required.
- Zone VE / V
- High risk, coastal. Same as AE, plus wave action. The most expensive zone to insure — and the one where an elevation certificate matters most.
- Zone X (shaded)
- Moderate risk. About a 0.2% annual chance — the 500-year floodplain. Insurance isn’t usually required, but more than 40% of flood claims come from outside the high-risk zones (Source: FEMA).
- Zone X (unshaded)
- Minimal risk. FEMA’s best rating. Coverage is usually inexpensive here — and minimal risk is not no risk.
- Zone D
- Undetermined. FEMA hasn’t studied the area — not a clean bill of health. Private carriers sometimes quote these areas competitively.
Two ways to buy. Here’s the honest difference.
There’s the federal program (NFIP) and there’s the private market. Neither is always cheaper — it depends on your address, your house, and your zone. Anyone who tells you one always wins is selling you something.
| Topic | NFIPthe federal program | Private floodcommercial carriers |
|---|---|---|
| Building limit (home) | $250,000 Source: FEMA | Often higher — some carriers write $1M+ Source: carrier filings vary |
| Contents limit | $100,000 Source: FEMA | Often higher Source: carrier filings vary |
| Waiting period | Usually 30 days Source: FEMA | Can be shorter — some bind in days Source: varies by carrier |
| Price | Set by federal rate tables (Risk Rating 2.0) | Sometimes broader coverage, sometimes a better price — depends on your address Source: private-flood market research found nearly half of NFIP policyholders would save switching; your mileage will vary |
| Market share | Private flood is about 14% of U.S. flood policies and growing Source: GAO, April 2026 | |
| Best for | High-risk zones where you need the standard, lender-accepted policy | Higher-value homes, faster starts, or when the NFIP number just doesn’t pencil out |
We’ll walk you through both for your address and show you the numbers side by side. Read NFIP vs. private flood insurance for the full breakdown, or what flood insurance actually costs for 2026 ranges by zone.
Nine states. Two are home turf.
We quote directly in Texas and Georgia. Everywhere else, we’ll look at your request and tell you honestly whether we’re the right shop for your state — and if we’re not, we’ll point you in the right direction.
Two ways to start.
The full intake takes a few minutes — address, a few questions about the house, your contact info — and comes back as a proper quote workup. In a hurry? Leave the basics below and we’ll fill in the gaps together.
Quote requests are free. Nothing is bound or billed from this site — a quote is a number on paper until you say yes.