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         U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Federal Emergency Management Agency - National Flood Insurance Program

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      Buying a Policy
          
                                	
			      Buying a Policy
        
    
              Why Buy Flood Insurance
              Am I Required to Have Flood Insurance?
              What’s Covered
              Types of Flood Insurance
              How to Buy Flood Insurance
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              Renewing a Policy
          
                                	
			      Renewing a Policy
        
    
              Why Should I Renew My Policy?
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              Flood Risks and Costs
          
                                	
			      Flood Risks and Costs
        
    
              Cost of Flooding
              What Impacts My Premium and Policy Costs?
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              Before and After a Flood
          
                                	
			      Before and After a Flood
        
    
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              Flood Zones and Maps
          
                                	
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              Elevation Certificates Cost of Flooding
          What Impacts My Premium and Policy Costs?
          Policy Costs and Terms
          How Can I Pay Less?What impacts flood insurance policy costs?

A number of factors are considered when determining your annual flood insurance premium. These factors include:

Flood risk
	The type of coverage being purchased (e.g., building and contents coverage)
	The deductible and amount of building and contents coverage
	The location of your structure
	The design and age of your structure
	The location of your structure’s contents (e.g., Are your utilities elevated?)With NFIP's pricing approach, Risk Rating 2.0, FEMA has the capability and tools to address rating disparities by incorporating more flood risk variables. These include flood frequency, multiple flood types — river overflow, storm surge, coastal erosion, and heavy rainfall — and distance to a water source, as well as property characteristics such as elevation and the cost to rebuild.

More information is available in the Rate Explanation Guide.

Your property’s elevation

For properties in high-risk flood areas built after the first Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood maps, the elevation of the building in relation to the base flood elevation is also a factor.

While Elevation Certificates (ECs) are no longer required to purchase coverage under NFIP's pricing approach, a property owner may choose to provide an EC and submit it to their agent to determine if it will lower their cost of insurance. ECs will also continue to be used for floodplain management building requirements, which can affect eligibility for Community Rating System discounts.

Learn more about ECs and how you can pay less.





FEMA | National Flood Insurance Program
                        500 C St SW,
            Washington,
            D.C.
            20472 Disaster Assistance:
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