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Flood insurance cost · WV

Flood insurance cost in West Virginia

What homeowners with a National Flood Insurance Program policy actually pay, from FEMA's records of 6,597 home policies in force on August 31, 2026.

West VirginiaPolicies in force on Aug 31, 2026

Median annual cost of NFIP flood insurance for a home

$1,335a year

Half of insured homes paid between $994 and $1,971. That is 23% more than the national median ($1,082). Most insured homes here are rated in zone AE (60%).

$0$994 · $1,335 · $1,971$2,464
+11.7% vs Aug 31, 2025 (median $1,195)
6,597home policies in force
$1,630average cost (mean)
79%of insured homes in high-risk zones (A, V)
$110,000median building coverage

This is what policyholders paid, not a quote. Two neighbors can pay very different prices: NFIP prices depend on the building (elevation, foundation, number of floors, replacement cost), the coverage and deductible chosen and the distance to water (FEMA FloodSmart: premium factors). For a price for your building, ask an insurance agent. Private flood insurance is not included in these figures.

Disaster declarations: see FEMA declarations and IRS tax relief in West Virginia, county by county.

Cost by flood zone in West Virginia

The flood zone on FEMA's map is one of the main price factors. Median and middle half of what insured homes paid, by the zone used to rate the policy.

Flood zoneMedianMiddle half (25th–75th percentile)AveragePoliciesvs last year
Zone AE
High risk		$1,451$1,034–$2,156$1,7353,935 (60%)+9.5%
Zone A
High risk		$1,469$1,074–$2,213$1,7961,275 (19%)+10.3%
Zone AO
High risk, shallow		$2,278$1,186–$2,923$2,07412 (0%)+11.3%
Zone X
Moderate to low risk		$1,123$844–$1,365$1,1691,375 (21%)+16.0%

Not shown (fewer than 10 home policies): VE, AH, A99/AR, D. Shares are of all insured homes; a few policies have no rated zone. "vs last year" compares medians with policies in force a year earlier.

Cost by type of building

All NFIP policies in force in West Virginia, by what they insure.

Type of buildingPoliciesMedianAverage
Single-family home5,873$1,365$1,661
2–4 unit building91$1,427$1,932
Manufactured (mobile) home609$1,146$1,315
Condo or apartment unit24$638$861
Whole residential building (5+ units or condo association)
One policy covers the whole building, so the cost is much higher than for a single home.		455$2,400$3,102
Non-residential building or unit
Businesses, churches, farm buildings and other non-residential property.		1,253$3,370$5,368
8,305NFIP policies in force, any building
8,313insured units (condo association policies count every unit)
45%of home policies also cover contents
$46,000median contents coverage, when bought

One year on: West Virginia

Policies in force on August 31, 2026 compared with a year earlier. Nationwide, practically all policies in both years carry FEMA's Risk Rating 2.0 occupancy codes, so both years use the same pricing system. The policies are not the same: some were new, some lapsed.

Aug 31, 2025Aug 31, 2026Change
Home policies in force7,2666,597−9.2%
Median annual cost$1,195$1,335+11.7%
Average annual cost$1,462$1,630+11.5%
All policies in force (any building)9,2408,305−10.1%

Flood claims history

Since 1978, NFIP policyholders in West Virginia have filed 27,998 flood claims. 23,439 received a payment, for a total of $386.7 million (an average of $16,499 per paid claim). The year with the most claims was 1996 (4,258 claims). Amounts are in dollars of the time, not adjusted for inflation.

02k4k6k8k1978: 1,986 claims, 1,682 paid, $7,143,799 in total19781979: 754 claims, 575 paid, $2,461,484 in total1980: 998 claims, 853 paid, $3,965,055 in total19801981: 419 claims, 319 paid, $1,026,684 in total1982: 194 claims, 129 paid, $296,737 in total1983: 43 claims, 14 paid, $39,661 in total1984: 1,338 claims, 1,150 paid, $20,856,364 in total1985: 1,756 claims, 1,578 paid, $22,987,399 in total1986: 25 claims, 13 paid, $61,488 in total1987: 98 claims, 52 paid, $283,557 in total1989: 429 claims, 285 paid, $1,644,795 in total1990: 217 claims, 169 paid, $1,330,687 in total19901991: 159 claims, 110 paid, $703,007 in total1992: 44 claims, 28 paid, $163,083 in total1993: 43 claims, 22 paid, $114,188 in total1994: 778 claims, 645 paid, $5,448,975 in total1995: 147 claims, 106 paid, $1,980,914 in total1996: 4,258 claims, 3,740 paid, $62,986,679 in total19961997: 769 claims, 636 paid, $8,322,282 in total1998: 496 claims, 421 paid, $6,735,120 in total1999: 39 claims, 27 paid, $189,794 in total2000: 497 claims, 390 paid, $3,547,803 in total20002001: 930 claims, 802 paid, $13,542,298 in total2002: 607 claims, 473 paid, $5,697,735 in total2003: 1,961 claims, 1,559 paid, $21,351,815 in total2004: 2,810 claims, 2,551 paid, $49,464,468 in total20042005: 535 claims, 446 paid, $4,676,824 in total2006: 76 claims, 56 paid, $886,770 in total2007: 358 claims, 309 paid, $6,498,599 in total2008: 194 claims, 161 paid, $2,596,926 in total2009: 464 claims, 395 paid, $8,458,626 in total2010: 791 claims, 655 paid, $12,428,115 in total20102011: 139 claims, 105 paid, $984,304 in total2012: 222 claims, 177 paid, $5,248,391 in total2013: 136 claims, 111 paid, $2,106,838 in total2014: 73 claims, 49 paid, $558,489 in total2015: 292 claims, 237 paid, $4,383,341 in total2016: 1,104 claims, 950 paid, $48,907,455 in total2017: 171 claims, 141 paid, $3,577,044 in total2018: 252 claims, 203 paid, $6,205,263 in total2019: 47 claims, 35 paid, $352,025 in total2020: 69 claims, 44 paid, $910,750 in total20202021: 244 claims, 208 paid, $5,974,598 in total2022: 172 claims, 143 paid, $4,779,853 in total2023: 58 claims, 48 paid, $1,468,203 in total2024: 192 claims, 162 paid, $4,238,417 in total2025: 440 claims, 373 paid, $16,673,487 in total2026: 167 claims, 100 paid, $2,356,325 in total
Flood claims per year of loss, 1978–2026. Years with fewer than 10 claims are left blank. Hover a bar for details.
All years with at least 10 claims (48)

Swipe the table sideways to see all columns.

Year of lossClaimsPaid claimsTotal paidAverage per paid claim
2026167100$2,356,325$23,563
2025440373$16,673,487$44,701
2024192162$4,238,417$26,163
20235848$1,468,203$30,588
2022172143$4,779,853$33,426
2021244208$5,974,598$28,724
20206944$910,750$20,699
20194735$352,025$10,058
2018252203$6,205,263$30,568
2017171141$3,577,044$25,369
20161,104950$48,907,455$51,482
2015292237$4,383,341$18,495
20147349$558,489$11,398
2013136111$2,106,838$18,981
2012222177$5,248,391$29,652
2011139105$984,304$9,374
2010791655$12,428,115$18,974
2009464395$8,458,626$21,414
2008194161$2,596,926$16,130
2007358309$6,498,599$21,031
20067656$886,770$15,835
2005535446$4,676,824$10,486
20042,8102,551$49,464,468$19,390
20031,9611,559$21,351,815$13,696
2002607473$5,697,735$12,046
2001930802$13,542,298$16,886
2000497390$3,547,803$9,097
19993927$189,794$7,029
1998496421$6,735,120$15,998
1997769636$8,322,282$13,085
19964,2583,740$62,986,679$16,841
1995147106$1,980,914$18,688
1994778645$5,448,975$8,448
19934322$114,188$5,190
19924428$163,083$5,824
1991159110$703,007$6,391
1990217169$1,330,687$7,874
1989429285$1,644,795$5,771
19879852$283,557$5,453
19862513$61,488$4,730
19851,7561,578$22,987,399$14,567
19841,3381,150$20,856,364$18,136
19834314$39,661$2,833
1982194129$296,737$2,300
1981419319$1,026,684$3,218
1980998853$3,965,055$4,648
1979754575$2,461,484$4,281
19781,9861,682$7,143,799$4,247

From 2016 to 2026: 2,916 claims (counting only years with at least 10). 2026 is a partial year. Claims are counted where the insured property is; they include buildings and contents, homes and businesses.

Counties in West Virginia

Counties with at least 100 NFIP home policies in force have their own page.

Other counties (fewer policies, no separate page)
CountyHome policiesMedian
Barbour County46$1,422
Braxton County38$1,302
Brooke County97$1,411
Calhoun County30$1,817
Clay County48$1,312
Doddridge County31$1,358
Fayette County88$1,211
Gilmer County41$1,228
Grant County25$1,371
Hancock County71$1,759
Hardy County51$1,195
Jackson County71$1,259
Lewis County66$1,266
Lincoln County75$1,249
Mason County75$1,111
Mercer County88$1,210
Monroe County22$1,303
Morgan County95$1,407
Nicholas County60$1,650
Pendleton County46$1,242
Pleasants County24$1,230
Preston County56$1,424
Raleigh County83$1,307
Ritchie County19$1,099
Roane County70$1,266
Summers County84$1,265
Taylor County28$1,235
Tucker County74$1,278
Tyler County27$1,592
Upshur County90$1,237
Webster County58$1,187
Wetzel County92$1,400
Wirt County15$1,049

ZIP codes with the most insured homes