Flood Help Guide

Michigan flood insurance and flood history

From FEMA's flood insurance and disaster data · Updated 2026-10-08

14,954NFIP flood claims since 1978
$150.4 millionPaid on those claims
$32,151Average paid claimlast 10 years
0.4%Homes with NFIP flood insurance
13Flood disaster declarationssince 2000

FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data lists 14,954 flood insurance claims in Michigan since 1978. The NFIP paid $150.4 million on them (building, contents and Increased Cost of Compliance payments, in the dollars of the year paid).

The year with the most claims was 1985, with 1,967, mostly from Flooding.

In the last ten years (2017–2026) there were 3,397 claims, and the average paid claim was $32,151.

30% of the claims with a recorded flood zone came from buildings outside FEMA's high-risk zones (rated zones B, C and X).

About 0.4% of homes in Michigan had an NFIP flood policy in FEMA's latest count (16,036 of 3,919,085 residential buildings). In the high-risk flood zones (Special Flood Hazard Areas), it was 18% (11,729 of 63,812).

Since 2000, FEMA has made 13 flood-related disaster declarations covering parts of Michigan. The most recent was DR-4925-MI (Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding), declared June 30, 2026.

Flood insurance claims in Michigan by year

NFIP flood claims per year in Michigan, 1978 to 202605001k1.5k2k1978: 87 claims, $248,326 paid1979: 198 claims, $482,238 paid1980: 472 claims, $1.3 million paid19801981: 470 claims, $1.5 million paid1982: 543 claims, $1.6 million paid1983: 318 claims, $801,054 paid1984: 124 claims, $242,160 paid1985: 1,967 claims, $7.2 million paid1986: 1,898 claims, $7.8 million paid1987: 251 claims, $468,998 paid1988: 65 claims, $449,971 paid1989: 143 claims, $725,524 paid1990: 119 claims, $223,451 paid19901991: 54 claims, $525,219 paid1992: 21 claims, $31,948 paid1993: 53 claims, $320,076 paid1994: 73 claims, $218,778 paid1995: 26 claims, $96,150 paid1996: 188 claims, $1.2 million paid1997: 276 claims, $1.7 million paid1998: 347 claims, $2.4 million paid1999: 55 claims, $86,191 paid2000: 245 claims, $698,877 paid20002001: 213 claims, $1.6 million paid2002: 52 claims, $118,701 paid2003: 43 claims, $43,143 paid2004: 545 claims, $5.9 million paid2005: 75 claims, $543,552 paid2006: 85 claims, $463,916 paid2007: 51 claims, $395,204 paid2008: 303 claims, $3.0 million paid2009: 230 claims, $2.2 million paid2010: 74 claims, $307,027 paid20102011: 292 claims, $2.1 million paid2012: 114 claims, $930,805 paid2013: 485 claims, $8.9 million paid2014: 788 claims, $10.0 million paid2015: 97 claims, $439,994 paid2016: 117 claims, $720,756 paid2017: 322 claims, $7.6 million paid2018: 549 claims, $15.9 million paid2019: 604 claims, $6.7 million paid2020: 817 claims, $33.8 million paid20202021: 343 claims, $3.9 million paid2022: 47 claims, $445,579 paid2023: 292 claims, $5.2 million paid2024: 97 claims, $957,924 paid2025: 54 claims, $875,942 paid2026: 272 claims, $7.2 million paid
NFIP claims per year by year of loss. Hover or tap a bar for the count and amount paid. 2026 is partial.
Show as a table
YearClaimsPaid
2026272$7.2 million
202554$875,942
202497$957,924
2023292$5.2 million
202247$445,579
2021343$3.9 million
2020817$33.8 million
2019604$6.7 million
2018549$15.9 million
2017322$7.6 million
2016117$720,756
201597$439,994
2014788$10.0 million
2013485$8.9 million
2012114$930,805
2011292$2.1 million
201074$307,027
2009230$2.2 million
2008303$3.0 million
200751$395,204
200685$463,916
200575$543,552
2004545$5.9 million
200343$43,143
200252$118,701
2001213$1.6 million
2000245$698,877
199955$86,191
1998347$2.4 million
1997276$1.7 million
1996188$1.2 million
199526$96,150
199473$218,778
199353$320,076
199221$31,948
199154$525,219
1990119$223,451
1989143$725,524
198865$449,971
1987251$468,998
19861,898$7.8 million
19851,967$7.2 million
1984124$242,160
1983318$801,054
1982543$1.6 million
1981470$1.5 million
1980472$1.3 million
1979198$482,238
197887$248,326

Biggest flood events by NFIP payments

The flood events FEMA's claims data names most often for Michigan, ranked by what the NFIP paid. FEMA names events in its claims records; claims without an event name aren't included here.

EventYearClaimsPaid
Flooding19851,748$6.7 million
2026-04-Flooding2026173$6.4 million
Flooding1986857$5.9 million
Hurricane Ike2008112$1.3 million
Flooding1981283$982,024

Flood history by county

Every Michigan county in FEMA's data, sorted by number of NFIP claims since 1978. "Insured" is the share of homes with an NFIP policy.

CountyClaimsPaidInsuredFlood declarations
Wayne County2,892$13.7 million0.5%5
Monroe County1,672$9.9 million1.4%1
Macomb County1,437$9.0 million0.5%4
St. Clair County1,184$5.2 million2.0%1
Saginaw County798$11.8 million1.1%5
Kent County676$10.4 million0.3%3
Oakland County582$5.5 million0.3%5
Midland County547$28.0 million0.8%4
Bay County515$2.5 million0.9%1
Genesee County467$3.3 million0.2%1
Ingham County397$2.4 million0.7%3
Ottawa County336$3.4 million0.3%3
Berrien County310$4.4 million0.4%1
Kalamazoo County291$5.1 million0.2%1
Barry County281$3.1 million0.5%4
Newaygo County153$4.3 million0.4%3
Eaton County149$702,7590.5%4
Tuscola County133$1.0 million0.4%1
Washtenaw County133$1.6 million0.4%3
Muskegon County131$841,8020.1%3
Livingston County128$992,4820.3%2
Arenac County119$2.1 million1.0%2
St. Joseph County110$1.6 million0.3%1
Iosco County81$841,4401.0%2
Allegan County69$1.3 million0.2%3
Osceola County66$1.7 million0.4%3
Mecosta County64$1.5 million0.3%2
Shiawassee County62$106,2881.1%1
Calhoun County60$226,6280.2%0
Lenawee County60$345,0270.1%0
Grand Traverse County58$1.1 million0.3%1
Huron County49$228,3070.9%0
Menominee County48$422,4290.5%2
Lake County46$1.2 million0.1%2
Jackson County41$216,3210.2%1
Ionia County37$292,0680.3%4
Isabella County37$542,7440.5%1
Cheboygan County36$1.7 million0.3%1
Gratiot County36$148,9420.4%1
Branch County33$605,8360.4%0
Gladwin County31$1.7 million0.2%4
Van Buren County31$221,3880.2%1
Oceana County30$183,4780.3%1
Clinton County29$497,4020.3%0
Manistee County29$253,3860.3%2
Delta County28$312,6180.2%0
Lapeer County27$173,5810.1%0
Marquette County21$233,4260.1%3
Leelanau County20$122,1360.7%0
Alpena County17$57,2940.3%1
Wexford County16$615,5180.3%2
Alcona County15$72,2760.2%1
Cass County15$112,3450.2%1
Sanilac County14$112,8280.1%1
Hillsdale County13$184,3270.1%0
Mason County13$237,7100.3%1
Benzie County11$86,6640.2%1
Charlevoix County10$184,3290.2%1
Gogebic County10$38,3430.1%3
Montcalm County9$109,9280.0%1
Ontonagon County9$4,6530.2%2
Clare County8$26,8300.2%0
Emmet County8$31,7180.3%1
Alger County7$51,9240.2%0
Antrim County6$5,3430.1%1
Baraga County6$14,3250.2%2
Chippewa County6$136,9150.4%0
Dickinson County6$14,7560.2%0
Houghton County6$117,0860.1%3
Mackinac County6$8,8980.4%0
Iron County3$00.0%2
Roscommon County3$93,2000.0%1
Schoolcraft County2$10,0190.0%0
Crawford County1$121,6040.2%1
Luce County1$5,5110.0%0
Presque Isle County1$00.0%1
Kalkaska County0$00.0%1
Keweenaw County0$00.0%1
Missaukee County0$00.0%2
Montmorency County0$00.0%1
Ogemaw County0$00.0%1
Oscoda County0$00.0%1
Otsego County0$00.0%0

Flood-related FEMA disaster declarations in Michigan

Declarations since 2000 that FEMA lists as involving flooding. "Help for individuals" means FEMA's Individual Assistance was approved for at least part of the area.

DeclarationDeclaredEventHelp for individuals
DR-4925-MI Jun 30, 2026 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding Yes
DR-4757-MI Feb 8, 2024 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding Yes
DR-4607-MI Jul 15, 2021 Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes Yes
DR-4547-MI Jul 9, 2020 Severe Storms and Flooding Yes
EM-3525-MI May 21, 2020 Severe Storms and Flooding No
DR-4381-MI Aug 2, 2018 Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides No
DR-4326-MI Aug 2, 2017 Severe Storms and Flooding Yes
DR-4195-MI Sep 25, 2014 Severe Storms and Flooding Yes
DR-4121-MI Jun 18, 2013 Flooding No
DR-1777-MI Jul 14, 2008 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding No
DR-1527-MI Jun 30, 2004 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding Yes
DR-1413-MI May 6, 2002 Flooding No
DR-1346-MI Oct 17, 2000 Severe Storms and Flooding Yes

What to do with this

A county's history doesn't tell you your own building's risk. To see your property's flood zone, use FEMA's flood map lookup. To weigh coverage, start with do I need flood insurance? and what flood insurance costs.

Where these numbers come from

All figures on this page are calculated from FEMA's public OpenFEMA datasets:

FEMA's redacted claims data doesn't identify properties, and FEMA notes that some records lack a county or flood zone. See how we use the data.