Flood Help Guide

New York flood insurance and flood history

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

175,430NFIP flood claims since 1978
$5.7 billionPaid on those claims
$37,143Average paid claimlast 10 years
2.5%Homes with NFIP flood insurance
29Flood disaster declarationssince 2000

FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data lists 175,430 flood insurance claims in New York since 1978. The NFIP paid $5.7 billion on them (building, contents and Increased Cost of Compliance payments, in the dollars of the year paid).

The year with the most claims was 2012, with 57,991, mostly from Hurricane Sandy.

In the last ten years (2017–2026) there were 11,946 claims, and the average paid claim was $37,143.

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 2.5% of homes in New York had an NFIP flood policy in FEMA's latest count (118,000 of 4,700,087 residential buildings). In the high-risk flood zones (Special Flood Hazard Areas), it was 76% (71,882 of 95,168).

Since 2000, FEMA has made 29 flood-related disaster declarations covering parts of New York. The most recent was DR-4839-NY (Severe Storm and Flooding), declared October 21, 2024.

Flood insurance claims in New York by year

NFIP flood claims per year in New York, 1978 to 2026025k50k75k100k1978: 4,176 claims, $10.6 million paid1979: 10,144 claims, $26.5 million paid1980: 7,236 claims, $16.1 million paid19801981: 2,484 claims, $5.8 million paid1982: 2,086 claims, $3.2 million paid1983: 2,684 claims, $4.7 million paid1984: 3,898 claims, $11.5 million paid1985: 3,624 claims, $14.8 million paid1986: 780 claims, $2.7 million paid1987: 1,052 claims, $4.2 million paid1988: 261 claims, $439,289 paid1989: 657 claims, $1.4 million paid1990: 430 claims, $1.9 million paid19901991: 4,017 claims, $37.3 million paid1992: 9,310 claims, $109.6 million paid1993: 2,681 claims, $25.5 million paid1994: 770 claims, $5.2 million paid1995: 292 claims, $5.1 million paid1996: 4,010 claims, $38.1 million paid1997: 209 claims, $1.9 million paid1998: 1,101 claims, $7.6 million paid1999: 1,267 claims, $14.9 million paid2000: 513 claims, $4.0 million paid20002001: 334 claims, $1.2 million paid2002: 293 claims, $1.4 million paid2003: 621 claims, $3.1 million paid2004: 1,036 claims, $13.1 million paid2005: 5,711 claims, $58.4 million paid2006: 2,773 claims, $92.9 million paid2007: 3,080 claims, $63.3 million paid2008: 532 claims, $4.0 million paid2009: 608 claims, $7.2 million paid2010: 3,082 claims, $22.7 million paid20102011: 20,619 claims, $535.2 million paid2012: 57,991 claims, $4.2 billion paid2013: 1,009 claims, $13.6 million paid2014: 1,559 claims, $15.8 million paid2015: 327 claims, $2.8 million paid2016: 227 claims, $1.2 million paid2017: 876 claims, $12.5 million paid2018: 885 claims, $14.5 million paid2019: 628 claims, $12.9 million paid2020: 291 claims, $3.5 million paid20202021: 4,059 claims, $161.3 million paid2022: 1,355 claims, $31.8 million paid2023: 2,345 claims, $56.7 million paid2024: 928 claims, $32.5 million paid2025: 298 claims, $6.2 million paid2026: 281 claims, $3.2 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
2026281$3.2 million
2025298$6.2 million
2024928$32.5 million
20232,345$56.7 million
20221,355$31.8 million
20214,059$161.3 million
2020291$3.5 million
2019628$12.9 million
2018885$14.5 million
2017876$12.5 million
2016227$1.2 million
2015327$2.8 million
20141,559$15.8 million
20131,009$13.6 million
201257,991$4.2 billion
201120,619$535.2 million
20103,082$22.7 million
2009608$7.2 million
2008532$4.0 million
20073,080$63.3 million
20062,773$92.9 million
20055,711$58.4 million
20041,036$13.1 million
2003621$3.1 million
2002293$1.4 million
2001334$1.2 million
2000513$4.0 million
19991,267$14.9 million
19981,101$7.6 million
1997209$1.9 million
19964,010$38.1 million
1995292$5.1 million
1994770$5.2 million
19932,681$25.5 million
19929,310$109.6 million
19914,017$37.3 million
1990430$1.9 million
1989657$1.4 million
1988261$439,289
19871,052$4.2 million
1986780$2.7 million
19853,624$14.8 million
19843,898$11.5 million
19832,684$4.7 million
19822,086$3.2 million
19812,484$5.8 million
19807,236$16.1 million
197910,144$26.5 million
19784,176$10.6 million

Biggest flood events by NFIP payments

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

EventYearClaimsPaid
Hurricane Sandy201257,405$4.2 billion
Hurricane Irene201114,744$348.7 million
Tropical Storm Lee20113,159$160.3 million
Hurricane Ida20213,355$151.3 million
December Storm - Nor'easter19929,061$108.6 million
April 2007 Nor'easter20072,176$50.3 million
Torrential rain20054,991$47.9 million
Late-September New York Flooding20231,611$36.3 million
The "Halloween" Storm19913,496$35.5 million
Flooding19962,887$28.5 million

Flood history by county

Every New York 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
Nassau County51,523$2.3 billion9.6%4
Suffolk County33,936$1.1 billion5.4%6
Richmond County19,422$282.2 million4.4%3
Queens County14,948$707.5 million3.7%2
Westchester County12,259$272.8 million3.0%6
Kings County6,319$329.9 million2.9%3
Rockland County3,480$45.4 million1.3%4
Broome County3,103$138.3 million1.8%9
Erie County2,483$12.8 million0.4%7
Orange County2,032$26.8 million0.9%7
Bronx County1,945$27.4 million2.3%1
Chautauqua County1,803$10.0 million0.6%8
Tioga County1,558$61.3 million2.6%8
New York County1,498$120.8 million1.5%1
Delaware County1,291$39.6 million1.9%12
Ulster County1,279$30.2 million1.3%8
Oneida County1,069$16.2 million0.6%7
Onondaga County970$8.6 million0.7%4
Sullivan County945$16.2 million0.7%8
Monroe County828$5.0 million0.4%3
Dutchess County765$14.0 million1.2%4
Schoharie County666$31.4 million1.6%6
Chenango County632$11.4 million1.4%11
Greene County587$19.1 million1.1%6
Saratoga County581$8.1 million0.6%2
Cattaraugus County493$5.1 million1.0%7
Rensselaer County475$5.8 million1.1%5
Otsego County463$9.0 million0.9%9
Herkimer County422$6.1 million1.1%8
Albany County377$4.7 million0.6%3
Steuben County375$2.1 million1.1%7
Putnam County373$5.4 million0.6%4
Essex County369$6.3 million0.7%9
Cortland County358$3.4 million1.3%7
Schenectady County357$8.3 million0.4%4
Madison County313$4.7 million1.1%9
Chemung County304$2.6 million1.3%4
Clinton County296$5.2 million0.5%4
Tompkins County290$1.9 million1.2%3
Montgomery County288$8.9 million0.8%9
Cayuga County265$1.5 million0.9%3
Ontario County263$3.8 million0.7%6
Jefferson County250$2.4 million0.6%5
Columbia County245$3.1 million0.6%6
Oswego County221$2.5 million0.5%4
Wayne County209$2.5 million0.4%3
Allegany County193$714,8400.9%9
Niagara County184$825,6090.6%8
Yates County149$1.1 million1.5%6
Genesee County137$1.9 million1.0%4
Washington County136$1.4 million0.4%1
Fulton County116$873,7380.3%4
Warren County116$1.8 million0.4%6
Wyoming County113$974,8390.5%4
Seneca County108$977,1230.9%2
Livingston County101$664,5890.8%5
St. Lawrence County95$1.7 million0.3%5
Franklin County40$178,5110.4%5
Orleans County39$139,4110.3%6
Lewis County38$455,5590.4%8
Hamilton County35$719,0150.8%7
Schuyler County30$409,9110.4%3

Flood-related FEMA disaster declarations in New York

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-4839-NY Oct 21, 2024 Severe Storm and Flooding No
DR-4825-NY Sep 24, 2024 Remnants of Tropical Storm Debby No
DR-4818-NY Sep 20, 2024 Severe Storm and Flooding Yes
DR-4814-NY Aug 29, 2024 Severe Storm, Tornadoes, and Flooding No
EM-3613-NY Aug 25, 2024 Severe Storm and Flooding No
DR-4755-NY Jan 30, 2024 Severe Storm and Flooding No
DR-4723-NY Jul 22, 2023 Severe Storms and Flooding No
EM-3590-NY Dec 26, 2022 Severe Winter Storm No
DR-4472-NY Dec 19, 2019 Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding No
DR-4397-NY Oct 1, 2018 Severe Storms and Flooding No
DR-4348-NY Nov 14, 2017 Flooding No
DR-4204-NY Dec 22, 2014 Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding No
DR-4180-NY Jul 8, 2014 Severe Storms and Flooding No
DR-4129-NY Jul 12, 2013 Severe Storms and Flooding No
DR-1993-NY Jun 10, 2011 Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds No
DR-1899-NY Apr 16, 2010 Severe Storms and Flooding No
DR-1869-NY Dec 31, 2009 Severe Storms and Flooding Assoc W Td Ida & Nor'Easter No
DR-1857-NY Sep 1, 2009 Severe Storms and Flooding Yes
DR-1724-NY Aug 31, 2007 Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornado Yes
DR-1710-NY Jul 2, 2007 Severe Storms and Flooding No
DR-1692-NY Apr 24, 2007 Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding Yes
DR-1670-NY Dec 12, 2006 Severe Storms and Flooding Yes
DR-1665-NY Oct 24, 2006 Severe Storms and Flooding Yes
DR-1650-NY Jul 1, 2006 Severe Storms and Flooding Yes
DR-1589-NY Apr 19, 2005 Severe Storms and Flooding Yes

Showing the 25 most recent of 29.

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.