This page is about the City of Tampa, not all of Hillsborough County. The city runs its own flood program, so it has its own discount and its own claim record. For the countywide picture, see the Hillsborough County flood insurance guide. To see your zone, open the Hillsborough County flood zone map.
City of Tampa flood insurance in 5 numbers
| The short version | City of Tampa | Source |
|---|---|---|
| NFIP policies in force | 25,617 | FEMA policy records, July 2026 |
| Policies rated in an A or V zone | 72.4% | FEMA policy records, July 2026 |
| Average NFIP premium | $1,519 per policy | FEMA policy records, July 2026 |
| Claims paid, last 10 years | $549,277,400 on 5,207 claims | FEMA claim records, July 2026 |
| CRS discount | 25%, Class 5, since October 1, 2019 | FEMA Community Status Book |
What does flood insurance cost in the City of Tampa?
The average NFIP policy in the City of Tampa costs $1,519 a year. Read that number with care. It is an average per policy, and condo units count one each. The city has 25,617 policies on 18,787 policy records, because one condo building policy can cover many units. That pulls the average down. It is not what a typical single-family home pays. Three things move your own price.
1. Same flood zone, very different prices. Your flood zone decides if a lender requires flood insurance. The price depends on the home itself: how high the first floor sits, what it would cost to rebuild, and how often that spot floods. Two homes on the same Tampa block can get very different prices. An elevation certificate may lower an NFIP price. A lender must also accept a private policy that meets the federal rules.
2. The City of Tampa's own 25% discount. The City of Tampa is its own NFIP community. It earns its own Community Rating System (CRS) score. FEMA's Community Status Book rates the city Class 5, worth a 25% discount on NFIP premiums for eligible policies. The class took effect on October 1, 2019. Unincorporated Hillsborough County, Temple Terrace and Plant City are separate NFIP communities, so two addresses a few miles apart can get different discounts. Under Risk Rating 2.0 the city's discount applies city-wide.
Confirm your 25% credit is applied. If your home is inside City of Tampa limits, check your declarations page for the CRS credit. Check my address to confirm which community your home is in.
3. The claim record around you. The City of Tampa has 8,904 NFIP claims on record all time, and 5,207 of them came in the last 10 years. That record is why lenders ask for proof of flood coverage, and why how often your own spot floods matters to the price.
Tampa flood zone map: which 2 maps matter?
Two different maps answer two different questions in the City of Tampa.
| FEMA flood zone | Hillsborough evacuation zone |
|---|---|
| Decides if your lender can require flood insurance | Tells you when to leave before a storm (zones A to E) |
| Look up your FEMA zone | Hillsborough evacuation zone lookup |
FEMA's flood study for Hillsborough County lists zones A, AE and VE, plus lower-risk X areas, inside the City of Tampa. Zones that start with A or V are high-risk areas. A home there with a federally backed mortgage must carry flood insurance. Zone X has no federal requirement, but floods do not stop at map lines.
To see your zone on a map, use the Hillsborough County flood zone map or the county's Find My Flood Zone page. The county's coastal flood map update took effect on October 7, 2021. You can also see the official flood maps at the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
Hillsborough emergency numbers for Tampa residents
| Who | Phone | What they handle |
|---|---|---|
| Hillsborough County Office of Emergency Management | (813) 272-6600 | Evacuation orders, shelter openings, storm updates |
| Hillsborough County Public Works Floodplain Administration | (813) 635-5400 | County flood maps and flood rules outside city limits |
| City of Tampa Stormwater Division | (813) 274-3101 | Flood zone, base flood elevation and elevation certificate questions inside Tampa city limits (free) |
The first two are county offices. Emergency Management serves Tampa residents too. The City of Tampa is its own NFIP community, so inside city limits, flood permits and rebuild rules come from the City of Tampa, not the county.
Shelters. Hillsborough County opens shelters for each storm, and the lineup changes every time. These Hillsborough County shelters opened for Hurricane Milton in 2024. Two are inside Tampa city limits: Middleton High School, 4801 N. 22nd St. (pet-friendly) and Erwin Technical College, 2010 E. Hillsborough Ave. (special needs, sign up ahead with the county). One more is in Seffner: Burnett Middle School, 1010 N. Kingsway Rd. (pet-friendly). Before you go, confirm which ones are open with the county evacuation zone lookup or by calling (813) 272-6600.
More help: the Hillsborough County Office of Emergency Management.
If your Tampa home floods: 5 steps
- Stay safe. Do not walk or drive through flood water.
- Take photos and video of every room before you clean up.
- Call your insurance company and file the claim fast.
- Make a list of damaged items. Keep receipts for cleanup and repairs.
- Ask the City of Tampa about permits before you rebuild. For flood zone and elevation questions, call the City of Tampa Stormwater Division at (813) 274-3101.
The 50% rule. If repairs cost 50% or more of the building's market value, federal rules call the home "substantially damaged." It must then be brought up to current flood rules, which can mean raising it. The City of Tampa runs its own flood rules, apart from Hillsborough County, so ask the city how it counts the cost. Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) coverage on an NFIP policy can help pay for that work.
5 Hillsborough storms behind these numbers
Claims by storm are kept for the whole county, not the city alone. These are Hillsborough County figures. The City of Tampa's own 10-year total is the $549,277,400 above.
| Storm | Year | NFIP claims in Hillsborough County | Paid in Hillsborough County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene | 2024 | 7,418 | $876,388,142 |
| Hurricane Milton | 2024 | 2,625 | $190,080,802 |
| Hurricane Idalia | 2023 | 289 | $20,746,601 |
| Hurricane Eta | 2020 | 167 | $6,997,747 |
| Hurricane Irma | 2017 | 300 | $5,761,751 |
Hurricane Helene alone paid $876,388,142 in flood claims across Hillsborough County, more than the other four storms in this table put together. Two of the five storms came in the same 2024 season.
Buying or closing in Tampa? Read this first
About 7 in 10 City of Tampa policies sit in a high-risk zone. If your home is in one and you have a federally backed mortgage, your lender will ask for proof of flood insurance before closing. Ask the seller for an elevation certificate and ask whether the seller's flood policy can be assigned to you at closing.
NFIP flood policies have a 30-day waiting period. The big exception: if you buy the policy as part of getting, refinancing, increasing, extending or renewing a loan on the home, coverage can start at closing with no wait, as long as the application and payment are in by closing. If a new flood map just put your home in a high-risk zone, you can buy within 13 months of the map date and wait only one day. A lender asking for flood coverage partway through an existing loan does not skip the wait. Private flood policies set their own waiting periods, often shorter. Hillsborough's October 7, 2021 coastal maps are past that 13-month window.
All major lenders accept private flood insurance under federal guidelines. The policy has to meet the federal definition of private flood insurance, so look for that statement on the policy or ask your lender. Private flood can cost less for some Tampa homes and more for others. What a lender can require.
Buying in Tampa? Start with the buyer guide
City of Tampa flood insurance: 6 questions
How much is flood insurance in the City of Tampa? The NFIP average is $1,519 per policy, per FEMA records from July 2026. Condo units count one each, so a single-family home can pay much more or less. Your price depends on your home.
Does the City of Tampa get a flood insurance discount? Yes. FEMA rates the City of Tampa Class 5 in the Community Rating System, worth 25% off NFIP premiums for eligible policies, since October 1, 2019.
Is the Tampa discount the same as the rest of Hillsborough County? No. The City of Tampa is its own NFIP community with its own class. Unincorporated Hillsborough County, Temple Terrace and Plant City are separate NFIP communities.
How long is the wait for a new flood policy in Tampa? 30 days for a standard NFIP purchase. No wait when the policy is bought as part of getting, refinancing, increasing, extending or renewing a loan on the home. One day when a new flood map just placed the home in a high-risk zone (within 13 months of the map date).
What evacuation zone am I in? Hillsborough uses zones A to E. Look up your address with the county's evacuation zone lookup. Your evacuation zone is not your FEMA flood zone, and it does not decide whether you need flood insurance.
Do I need flood insurance in zone X in Tampa? A lender does not have to require it in zone X. Many owners buy it anyway, because rain floods homes outside high-risk zones too.
Explore Hillsborough and Florida flood guides
- Hillsborough County flood insurance: the county numbers, storms and contacts
- Hillsborough County flood zone map: find your zone by address
- City of St. Petersburg flood insurance: across the bay
- City of Clearwater flood insurance: across the bay to the west
- Florida flood insurance: the state picture
- The 30-day wait and its exceptions
- Flood insurance questions, answered
Sources: OpenFEMA NFIP policies and claims (FEMA, data as of July 4, 2026, split to the City of Tampa by Census block group); FEMA NFIP Community Status Book, City of Tampa row (read November 4, 2026); FEMA Flood Insurance Study, Hillsborough County and Incorporated Areas, revised October 7, 2021; Hillsborough County Emergency Management, evacuation zone lookup and flood map pages (read July 6 and October 31, 2026); City of Tampa Stormwater Division flood page (read November 5, 2026); U.S. Census 2020 and 2024 Gazetteer.
Lender says you need flood insurance? Read what the law requires and what you still choose.
Own a business, condo or apartment building in Tampa? Read the Florida commercial flood insurance guide.
Page data last verified 2026-11-05. Every figure links to the federal or county record it came from.