How Much Is Flood Insurance in New Jersey? Average Flood Insurance Cost and Coverage

Several factors affect flood insurance rates, including the incidence of flooding by state and county, as well as individual property risk factors, such as the building's elevation, age, structure and repair costs.

Natural disasters like flooding are not generally covered by homeowners or renters insurance. A single inch of water can cause roughly $25,000 in damage, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), providing an excellent reason to invest in flood insurance regardless of your home's flood risk. To figure out if your home is in a flood zone, you can look at New Jersey’s flood zone map.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Cost of Flood Insurance in New Jersey
• Flood Insurance Companies in New Jersey
• Flood Insurance Coverage
• Flood Insurance Cost Factors in New Jersey
• Do You Need Flood Insurance?
• New Jersey Flood Insurance FAQs

According to MoneyGeek's findings, flood insurance in New Jersey costs an average of $948. You may be required to pay more for flood insurance if your state or county is prone to flooding or if you own a property that is at risk. Overall, rates are higher in areas where flood risks are moderate to high.

Due to the high flood risk in New Jersey compared to other states, flood insurance costs about $181 more than the national average.

Denver County has the cheapest flood insurance rate at $572 per year, while Passaic County has the most expensive rate at $2,049. In the following table, you can review the average cost of flood insurance by county in New Jersey.

A flood insurance policy can be purchased from the NFIP or a private company. A private provider can either provide a base policy that covers flood claims up to a certain limit or an excess policy that provides additional coverage when the primary policy limit is exceeded.

A private provider is ideal if the NFIP's coverage does not meet your needs or you live outside of the NFIP's service area.

Flood insurance is offered by several private insurance companies through partnerships with the NFIP. You can review the company and contact information in the following table.

You don't need special qualifications to purchase flood insurance. The process is simple, just contact the NFIP hotline (877-336-2627) or talk to your home insurance agent. The NFIP has a 30-day waiting period, so you should register early.

It is also possible to purchase flood insurance from private companies. A 10-day waiting period is sometimes required for private purchases, so you should verify this with your provider.

Flood insurance covers the contents, as well as the structure of the building, from water damage related to natural events. You can benefit from flood insurance if you live in a flood zone since even an inch of water can cause damages up to $25,000.

Flood insurance coverage is limited to the building structure and its contents. Swimming pools, landscaping, patios, cash and vehicles are not included.

In the event that a covered peril causes damage to the physical structure of your home, building coverage will help you fix or replace it. You can obtain coverage through the NFIP for up to $250,000.

Flood insurance can cover the following:

• Foundation walls
• Electrical systems
• Plumbing systems
• Furnaces, central heating and air conditioning
• Built-in appliances
• Permanent carpets
• Built-in furniture

Damage to belongings by a covered peril can be repaired or replaced with contents coverage. Through the NFIP, you can purchase coverage up to $100,000.

The following items may be covered by flood insurance:

• Clothing
• Furniture
• Electronic equipment
• Washers and dryers
• Artwork

Until October 2021, the cost of flood insurance was primarily calculated based on a property’s location on a flood map. FEMA provides interactive maps that allow homeowners to check historic flood risks in U.S. counties by state.

Somerset County, with 238 flooding events since 1996, has the highest amount of flood-prone areas in New Jersey, while Cape May, with 66 flooding events, has the fewest flood-prone areas. Among the counties in the state, Denver County has the lowest rate at $572 per year, while Passaic County has the highest rate at $2,049 per year.

While the highest and lowest flood-prone areas don’t correspond to the highest and lowest insurance rates, county size is also a contributing factor. In larger counties, flooding events may be spread out over a larger area, so their rates may be lower than in smaller counties that have a higher concentration of flooding events.

FEMA developed Risk Rating 2.0 in October 2021, which takes into account property risks such as building structures, elevations, foundation types, replacement costs and flood risks.

The new Risk Rating 2.0 system adjusts premiums based on an approach that is more personalized than the previous system. However, your location still affects flood insurance rates. Flood insurance costs in New Jersey vary based on the following factors.

Mortgages backed by government agencies and lenders require flood insurance in high-risk flood zones. Furthermore, flood insurance is still recommended in flood zones with low and moderate risks.

Flood insurance is usually not included in homeowners' or renters' policies, so you'll need to purchase one separately from the NFIP or a private provider.

One perk of purchasing insurance through a private insurer is that they don't require a presidential disaster declaration to pay flood insurance claims. Federal disaster assistance grants are also limited to $5,000 per household, which may not fully cover the cost of your repairs in the event of a flood.

We answered a few of the most frequently asked questions about flood insurance in New Jersey to help you decide if purchasing it is right for you.