Flood Help Guide

Missouri flood insurance and flood history

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

51,304NFIP flood claims since 1978
$983.7 millionPaid on those claims
$52,602Average paid claimlast 10 years
0.4%Homes with NFIP flood insurance
41Flood disaster declarationssince 2000

FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data lists 51,304 flood insurance claims in Missouri since 1978. The NFIP paid $983.7 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 1993, with 9,045, mostly from Midwest Flooding.

In the last ten years (2017–2026) there were 5,456 claims, and the average paid claim was $52,602.

14% 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 Missouri had an NFIP flood policy in FEMA's latest count (10,574 of 2,496,627 residential buildings). In the high-risk flood zones (Special Flood Hazard Areas), it was 19% (7,660 of 40,540).

Since 2000, FEMA has made 41 flood-related disaster declarations covering parts of Missouri. The most recent was DR-4939-MO (Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding), declared September 1, 2026.

Flood insurance claims in Missouri by year

NFIP flood claims per year in Missouri, 1978 to 202602.5k5k7.5k10k1978: 319 claims, $503,456 paid1979: 3,069 claims, $17.1 million paid1980: 128 claims, $203,720 paid19801981: 648 claims, $1.6 million paid1982: 4,294 claims, $34.2 million paid1983: 3,577 claims, $15.1 million paid1984: 786 claims, $5.8 million paid1985: 1,936 claims, $7.0 million paid1986: 2,647 claims, $19.9 million paid1987: 89 claims, $193,053 paid1988: 33 claims, $60,220 paid1989: 85 claims, $285,153 paid1990: 999 claims, $12.7 million paid19901991: 224 claims, $2.2 million paid1992: 155 claims, $562,959 paid1993: 9,045 claims, $208.5 million paid1994: 1,501 claims, $24.9 million paid1995: 1,960 claims, $18.5 million paid1996: 647 claims, $5.5 million paid1997: 250 claims, $1.3 million paid1998: 851 claims, $14.1 million paid1999: 310 claims, $4.2 million paid2000: 276 claims, $5.9 million paid20002001: 441 claims, $4.8 million paid2002: 656 claims, $6.3 million paid2003: 190 claims, $2.4 million paid2004: 253 claims, $3.3 million paid2005: 115 claims, $1.1 million paid2006: 88 claims, $1.4 million paid2007: 420 claims, $11.4 million paid2008: 3,581 claims, $113.4 million paid2009: 358 claims, $4.2 million paid2010: 651 claims, $17.0 million paid20102011: 1,730 claims, $53.1 million paid2012: 28 claims, $55,294 paid2013: 934 claims, $20.0 million paid2014: 293 claims, $3.7 million paid2015: 1,982 claims, $82.8 million paid2016: 299 claims, $10.1 million paid2017: 1,600 claims, $80.0 million paid2018: 173 claims, $2.6 million paid2019: 1,775 claims, $74.5 million paid2020: 273 claims, $11.2 million paid20202021: 147 claims, $4.6 million paid2022: 842 claims, $52.7 million paid2023: 97 claims, $2.5 million paid2024: 341 claims, $13.5 million paid2025: 131 claims, $4.5 million paid2026: 77 claims, $2.0 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
202677$2.0 million
2025131$4.5 million
2024341$13.5 million
202397$2.5 million
2022842$52.7 million
2021147$4.6 million
2020273$11.2 million
20191,775$74.5 million
2018173$2.6 million
20171,600$80.0 million
2016299$10.1 million
20151,982$82.8 million
2014293$3.7 million
2013934$20.0 million
201228$55,294
20111,730$53.1 million
2010651$17.0 million
2009358$4.2 million
20083,581$113.4 million
2007420$11.4 million
200688$1.4 million
2005115$1.1 million
2004253$3.3 million
2003190$2.4 million
2002656$6.3 million
2001441$4.8 million
2000276$5.9 million
1999310$4.2 million
1998851$14.1 million
1997250$1.3 million
1996647$5.5 million
19951,960$18.5 million
19941,501$24.9 million
19939,045$208.5 million
1992155$562,959
1991224$2.2 million
1990999$12.7 million
198985$285,153
198833$60,220
198789$193,053
19862,647$19.9 million
19851,936$7.0 million
1984786$5.8 million
19833,577$15.1 million
19824,294$34.2 million
1981648$1.6 million
1980128$203,720
19793,069$17.1 million
1978319$503,456

Biggest flood events by NFIP payments

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

EventYearClaimsPaid
Midwest Flooding19935,954$172.0 million
Early winter storms20151,422$72.4 million
Late spring severe storms20171,333$70.9 million
Late July Flooding2022649$46.1 million
Hurricane Ike20081,071$41.3 million
Not a named storm19823,201$31.3 million
March storm20081,041$30.4 million
Late spring storms2011765$29.7 million
Flooding19941,338$23.5 million
Mid-spring storms2011824$21.7 million

Flood history by county

Every Missouri 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
St. Louis County12,031$264.8 million0.6%14
St. Charles County9,999$155.9 million0.8%11
Jefferson County4,592$69.3 million0.7%13
Lincoln County2,253$37.1 million0.6%13
Jackson County2,115$45.7 million0.2%7
Holt County1,254$39.3 million5.2%12
Ste. Genevieve County1,160$7.0 million0.4%18
Franklin County1,097$32.2 million0.3%8
Cape Girardeau County1,074$11.2 million0.2%16
Pike County938$10.5 million0.6%11
Clay County799$11.1 million0.3%6
St. Louis city739$10.1 million0.1%10
Buchanan County623$22.9 million0.7%11
Marion County535$11.2 million0.4%11
Butler County517$10.1 million1.4%11
Scott County484$4.4 million4.1%18
Gasconade County445$8.1 million0.4%10
Cole County416$7.6 million0.3%9
Taney County400$18.5 million0.6%14
McDonald County386$12.8 million0.4%14
Platte County368$13.0 million0.3%9
Cass County328$5.4 million0.3%6
Callaway County316$4.5 million0.1%11
Phelps County305$11.6 million0.4%14
Pulaski County267$7.0 million0.4%12
Perry County259$5.0 million0.2%17
Ripley County244$12.4 million1.2%12
Newton County215$5.4 million0.6%14
Mississippi County212$4.4 million3.5%14
Greene County206$3.4 million0.2%16
New Madrid County202$3.0 million4.0%16
Boone County195$4.1 million0.2%11
Ray County191$2.2 million0.7%15
Osage County180$3.4 million0.4%16
Carroll County179$3.7 million0.3%12
Jasper County175$2.9 million0.2%11
Madison County155$2.6 million0.4%12
Andrew County146$4.0 million0.3%13
Atchison County146$5.0 million0.2%9
Lewis County143$3.5 million0.5%13
Reynolds County141$3.0 million0.3%13
Wayne County141$3.2 million1.0%13
Pemiscot County127$746,0314.7%13
Montgomery County126$1.3 million0.1%12
Crawford County125$6.1 million0.2%15
Carter County123$5.4 million1.2%11
Bollinger County116$2.3 million0.2%16
Clark County106$7.6 million0.6%11
Stoddard County102$1.1 million1.0%14
Warren County102$2.3 million0.2%5
Maries County101$3.0 million0.2%16
St. Francois County94$2.8 million0.2%10
Camden County92$1.7 million0.6%13
Christian County78$2.9 million0.2%14
Howell County75$3.6 million0.2%13
Stone County75$2.1 million0.2%13
Howard County69$858,6150.2%15
Audrain County60$655,7100.3%7
Iron County59$408,9050.5%13
Dunklin County58$399,4851.9%11
Chariton County57$820,6730.4%14
Barry County53$2.1 million0.0%17
Ralls County51$929,2890.2%12
Pettis County45$335,4440.2%6
Johnson County44$307,1260.3%6
Oregon County39$489,6400.1%13
Benton County38$317,6140.1%7
Washington County38$264,8160.1%15
Daviess County37$608,5710.0%10
Lawrence County34$657,2350.3%12
Miller County28$553,2560.1%15
Moniteau County27$261,4950.1%7
Laclede County26$653,7630.1%13
Bates County25$645,9600.1%9
Livingston County24$316,8610.0%10
Linn County22$214,7000.1%10
Adair County21$530,7250.0%11
Lafayette County18$275,5560.0%8
Shannon County18$157,6220.1%16
Barton County17$269,6970.3%11
Saline County16$272,4080.1%11
Morgan County15$161,8970.4%12
Texas County15$309,7130.3%17
Webster County13$341,2250.1%22
Monroe County12$198,8810.0%8
Vernon County12$93,3570.1%13
Polk County10$132,8650.0%14
Cooper County9$137,1140.1%10
Wright County8$93,1110.0%16
Clinton County7$66,7450.1%6
Nodaway County7$148,6190.0%8
DeKalb County6$99,0600.0%5
Harrison County6$156,6570.0%8
Ozark County6$334,8570.0%16
Dent County5$26,6020.1%9
Hickory County5$340,5000.0%13
Grundy County4$157,5540.0%11
Knox County4$1.1 million0.0%13
Dallas County3$27,9380.1%14
Randolph County3$1,9880.1%7
Gentry County2$35,5540.0%9
Macon County2$8,2850.0%7
Shelby County2$80,5730.0%13
Sullivan County2$3290.0%12
Caldwell County1$2710.0%6
Henry County1$8,4140.1%7
Putnam County1$3,1220.0%8
Cedar County0$00.0%12
Dade County0$00.0%14
Douglas County0$00.0%16
Mercer County0$00.0%8
Schuyler County0$00.0%6
Scotland County0$00.0%8
St. Clair County0$00.0%10
Worth County0$00.0%8

Flood-related FEMA disaster declarations in Missouri

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-4939-MO Sep 1, 2026 Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding No
DR-4929-MO Aug 3, 2026 Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding No
DR-4924-MO Jun 30, 2026 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding No
DR-4885-MO Jul 22, 2025 Severe Storms and Flooding No
DR-4877-MO Jun 9, 2025 Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding Yes
DR-4876-MO Jun 9, 2025 Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding No
DR-4872-MO May 21, 2025 Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding Yes
DR-4855-MO Jan 1, 2025 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding No
DR-4803-MO Jul 23, 2024 Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding Yes
DR-4741-MO Sep 21, 2023 Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding No
DR-4665-MO Aug 8, 2022 Severe Storms and Flooding Yes
DR-4612-MO Sep 1, 2021 Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding No
DR-4552-MO Jul 9, 2020 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding No
DR-4451-MO Jul 9, 2019 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding Yes
DR-4435-MO May 20, 2019 Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding No
DR-4317-MO Jun 2, 2017 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding Yes
DR-4250-MO Jan 21, 2016 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding Yes
EM-3374-MO Jan 2, 2016 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding No
DR-4238-MO Aug 7, 2015 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding No
DR-4200-MO Oct 31, 2014 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding No
DR-4144-MO Sep 6, 2013 Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding No
DR-4130-MO Jul 18, 2013 Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding No
DR-4012-MO Aug 12, 2011 Flooding Yes
EM-3325-MO Jun 30, 2011 Flooding No
DR-1980-MO May 9, 2011 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding Yes

Showing the 25 most recent of 41.

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.