New Jersey Flood Insurance Costs and Coverage
- The average cost of flood insurance in New Jersey is $1,039 a year.
- Most flood insurance is bought from the federal government.
- Private companies also offer flood insurance in New Jersey.
How much is flood insurance in NJ?
Flood insurance costs an average of $1,039 a year in New Jersey, or $87 a month. Most policies are bought through the government-backed National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). However, you can also get it from private flood insurance companies.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) manages the NFIP. Whether you choose FEMA or private flood insurance, your rate depends on factors like:
- Your home’s distance from the ocean, rivers or other flooding sources
- Your home’s elevation and construction features
- The effectiveness of flood control measures in your area
- Any steps you’ve taken to protect your home from floods
Private companies treat these factors a little differently than FEMA does. This makes it good to compare your NFIP rate to quotes from private companies.
New Jersey flood insurance costs by county
With rates that average $777 a year, Cape May is New Jersey’s cheapest county for flood insurance. At $2,317 a year, Hunterdon County has the state’s most expensive flood insurance.
Flood insurance rates by county
| County | Annual rate | Monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic | $854 | $71 |
| Bergen | $1,356 | $113 |
| Burlington | $1,504 | $125 |
| Camden | $1,475 | $123 |
| Cape May | $777 | $65 |
| Cumberland | $1,418 | $118 |
| Essex | $1,422 | $118 |
| Gloucester | $1,291 | $108 |
| Hudson | $826 | $69 |
| Hunterdon | $2,317 | $193 |
| Mercer | $1,688 | $141 |
| Middlesex | $1,541 | $128 |
| Monmouth | $941 | $78 |
| Morris | $2,032 | $169 |
| Ocean | $1,067 | $89 |
| Passaic | $2,222 | $185 |
| Salem | $1,074 | $90 |
| Somerset | $1,928 | $161 |
| Sussex | $1,386 | $115 |
| Union | $1,514 | $126 |
| Warren | $2,180 | $182 |
NJ flood insurance costs by zone
NFIP flood insurance costs an average $102 a month in New Jersey’s highest-risk flood zones. However, rates average $66 a month in low- and moderate-risk areas.
You can find your flood zone online in FEMA’s flood map service center. Any zone beginning with the letter A or V is high risk. High-risk zones are also known as special flood hazard areas (SPHAs). They have a 1% chance of flooding each year.
Zones beginning with the letter B, C or X have a low or moderate risk of flooding.
Flood insurance costs by zone
| Flood zone | Flood risk | Annual rate | Monthly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | High | $1,220 | $102 |
| AO | High | $1,194 | $100 |
| AE | High | $1,079 | $90 |
| VE | High | $1,072 | $89 |
| B, C or X | Low or moderate | $797 | $66 |
What do FEMA flood zone codes mean?
Most FEMA flood zones are identified with various codes. The letters A and V at the start of a code identify high-risk flood zones. Any letters or numbers that come after A or V describe other aspects of the flood zone.
- Zone AO includes areas with a high risk of flooding from rivers or streams.
- Zone AE is for areas where flood elevations have been identified.
- Zone VE is for coastal areas with known flood elevations
The flood elevations in AE and VE zones are important. You usually pay more for flood insurance if your home is within an elevation that floodwaters can reach. You pay less if your home is above this “base flood elevation.”
If you sell your home, New Jersey law requires you to disclose its flood risk to the buyer.
Does homeowners insurance cover flooding?
Standard homeowners insurance in New Jersey does not cover flood damage.
Home insurance only offers limited coverage for water damage of any kind. It usually covers burst pipes and ruptured appliances. You can usually also add coverage for sewer and drain backups to your homeowners policy.
However, homeowners insurance does not cover damage from FEMA’s definition of a flood FEMA defines flooding as the submersion by water of two or more normally dry properties or acres of land. . In New Jersey, flooding can result from coastal storm surges or heavy rainfalls. Homeowners insurance does not typically cover water damage from events like these.
What does flood insurance cover in New Jersey?
New Jersey flood insurance generally covers flood damage to your home and belongings.
The NFIP offers up to $250,000 in building coverage and up to $100,000 in contents coverage.
- Building coverage pays to repair damaged walls, flooring, built-in appliances and other structural elements.
- Contents coverage protects personal items like plug-in appliances, furniture and clothes. Your belongings are covered at their actual cash value, which is based on age and wear.
- Basement coverage is limited under FEMA. Most personal items in a basement are not covered.
Private flood companies often offer more protection than FEMA. For example, several private companies offer loss of use Helps cover temporary housing costs if you move into a hotel or apartment while your home is being repaired or rebuilt. coverage. Most also provide more coverage for items in your basement than the NFIP.
Some private companies offer excess flood insurance. This adds to the protections of a base NFIP policy. For example, if you need $400,000 in coverage for your home, an NFIP policy can provide the first $250,000. An excess flood policy can cover the remaining $150,000.
Best private flood insurance in Jersey
Allstate, Wright Flood and Narragansett Bay are among New Jersey’s best private flood insurance companies.
Allstate
Allstate’s Beyond Floods policies offer up to $1.5 million in coverage for your home and $750,000 for your belongings. They cover loss of use and protect personal items in your basement. They are available for single-family homes but not condominium units.
An Allstate agent can help you compare a Beyond Floods quote to the NFIP’s rate. However, you may need to contact a different agent for quotes from other private companies.
Pros
- More coverage than the NFIP
- Better coverage for items in your basement
- Quotes available on Allstate’s website
Cons
- Not available for condo units
Wright Flood
Wright Flood offers a broader range of flood insurance than most other companies. Its agents can get you an NFIP policy and quotes from several excess flood insurers. It also offers its own flood insurance called FocusFlood.
FocusFlood includes up to $5 million in coverage for your home and $250,000 for your belongings. These policies cover your belongings at their replacement cost Replacement cost coverage pays to replace damaged items with comparable new ones. value. This gets you more money for damaged items than actual cash value coverage. FocusFlood offers loss of use as an optional add-on.
Pros
- Makes it easy to compare NFIP to private flood insurance
- Its own FocusFlood policies provide more coverage than the NFIP
- FocusFlood covers your belongings at replacement cost
Cons
- Loss of use coverage costs extra with FocusFlood
Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay offers flood coverage as an add-on to its home insurance policies. This extends your policy’s existing coverage to flood damage. Among other things, this makes the loss of use coverage in your homeowners policy available after a flood.
Simply adding flood coverage to your homeowners policy is convenient. However, it’s still good to compare Narragansett Bay’s rate to the costs of your other options.
Pros
- Adding flood coverage to existing home policy is easy
- Replacement cost coverage available for your belongings
- Extends homeowners loss of use to flood damage
Cons
- Only available to Narragansett Bay customers
Is flood insurance required in New Jersey?
Flood insurance is only required in New Jersey for a mortgage in a high-risk flood zone. It’s optional if you own your home outright or live in a low- or moderate-risk area.
There are a few reasons to consider getting flood insurance if you don’t need it for a loan:
- Floods can happen almost anywhere. About 40% of flood insurance claims are from outside high-risk zones, according to FEMA. Flood insurance tends to cost less in lower risk areas.
- Flood repairs are expensive. The average cost of a FEMA flood insurance claim is $68,000.
- Disaster assistance usually covers temporary fixes to stabilize your home. It’s often only available after a presidential disaster declaration. Flood insurance covers long-term repairs after any flood.
How to get flood insurance in New Jersey
FEMA makes NFIP policies widely available from local insurance agencies throughout New Jersey.
You can usually get flood insurance from normal home insurance companies like State Farm and Allstate. It’s also available from companies that specialize in flood insurance like Wright Flood. Your NFIP quote should be about the same, regardless of where you get it.
Private flood insurance is a little more difficult to find. Some agents may only get you quotes from one or two companies they work with. You may have to make an extra call or two to get good rate comparisons.
How do flood insurance waiting periods work?
If you already own your home, you usually have to wait for your flood insurance coverage to begin. For example, NFIP policies have a 30-day waiting period. The waiting period for private flood policies is usually shorter, often just seven days.
There’s no waiting period if you’re buying flood insurance to close a mortgage or other home loan
Methodology
Rates are based on an analysis of active FEMA flood insurance policies in New Jersey on July 31, 2025. Your actual rate may vary based on your location, your home’s construction features and other factors.