They were exempted, however, by a new law that was passed during the just-completed spring Legislative session and now awaits the governor’s signature. When enacted last year, the law also required condo owners covered by Citizens to buy flood insurance. Of them, 105,763 are in Broward, Palm Beach or Miami-Dade counties. Under the new law, all Citizens policyholders will have to buy flood insurance by 2027.Īccording to Citizens data, 228,203 of the company’s 1.2 million customers are now required to buy flood insurance. That mandate, enacted by the state Legislature and governor last year, took effect on April 1 for new Citizens policyholders and on July 1 for renewing policyholders. who live in high-risk flood zones are required to also carry flood insurance. Customers of state-owned Citizens Property Insurance Corp. This year, a new set of homeowners are required to buy flood insurance. Flood insurance required for some with Citizens insurance The percentage also does not include condominiums, which are typically covered by blanket commercial policies.Įxperts advise every Florida homeowner to buy flood insurance because flooding can happen throughout the state, as during last fall’s hurricanes.īut many buy flood insurance only when required, such as home loan borrowers with federally backed mortgages who live in high-risk flood zones. And the estimates exclude attached single-family homes, such as townhomes. The above estimates don’t take into account private flood insurance policies, which are increasing but still a fraction of the number of federally-backed policies. The actual percentages of homes with flood insurance are likely to be a little different. In South Florida’s tricounty region, the percentage is 20.8%. The number of FEMA flood insurance policies are just 15.7% of that total. state - 597,967 of 2.2 million in the U.S., FEMA data shows, the percentage of covered homes remains low.įlorida has 3.8 million detached single-family homes, according to 2020 census figures. Few homes have flood insurance, even in FloridaĪlthough Florida has the largest number of NFIP flood insurance policies of any U.S. If the total increase is 18% or less, affected homeowners will pay it just once - presumably until FEMA raises rates again, whenever that happens. While homeowners who previously did not carry NFIP flood insurance will have to pay the new higher prices if they want a new policy, price hikes for existing policyholders are capped at 18% a year for homesteaded properties and 25% annually for second homes or investment properties, until they reach the new rates. Not everyone facing rate increases will have to pay the higher premiums immediately. More insurance changes are in store from the Legislature. Yet, none of South Florida’s ZIP codes will see average rates decrease, FEMA’s data shows. Unsurprisingly, homes nearest the coast, particularly in low-lying areas, cost far more to insure than homes on higher ground in western suburban cities.įor example, homeowners in Coral Springs’ 33071 ZIP code are looking at a total premium increase of just 17.6% - from $669 to $787.įEMA says the new pricing model will also drive down the cost of flood insurance for customers with low-risk characteristics. Within each ZIP code are less expensive homes with cheaper coverage costs and pricier homes that will cost even more to insure. In the 33315 zip code, which includes Fort Lauderdale’s Edgewood neighborhood that was among the hardest-hit by last month’s flooding, average rates will increase by 64% - from $863 currently to $1,420. In Broward County, the 33305 ZIP code that includes Wilton Manors and Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods near the Middle River will pay 209% more, from $1,099 to $3,400. Recently, FEMA released a spreadsheet that compared average premiums currently and how high they’ll climb under the new pricing model.įor example, homeowners in Boca Raton’s 33432 ZIP code can look forward to a whopping 229% flood insurance premium increase, from an average $950 per policy to $3,128.
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