This page is about the City of St. Petersburg, not all of Pinellas 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 Pinellas County flood insurance guide.
City of St. Petersburg flood insurance in 5 numbers
| The short version | City of St. Petersburg | Source |
|---|---|---|
| NFIP policies in force | 36,692 | FEMA policy records, July 2026 |
| Policies rated in an A or V zone | 82.2% | FEMA policy records, July 2026 |
| Average NFIP premium | $1,485 per policy | FEMA policy records, July 2026 |
| Claims paid, last 10 years | $1,203,811,422 on 10,385 claims | FEMA claim records, July 2026 |
| CRS discount | 25%, Class 5, since October 1, 2016 | FEMA Community Status Book |
What does flood insurance cost in the City of St. Petersburg?
The average NFIP policy in the City of St. Petersburg costs $1,485 a year. Read that number with care. It is an average per policy, and condo units count one each. The city has 36,692 policies on 22,862 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 St. Petersburg 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 St. Petersburg's own 25% discount. The City of St. Petersburg 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, 2016. Unincorporated Pinellas and the other Pinellas cities have their own classes, 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 St. Petersburg 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 St. Petersburg has 16,262 NFIP claims on record all time, and 10,385 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.
Flood zones in St. Petersburg: which 2 maps matter?
Two different maps answer two different questions in the City of St. Petersburg.
| FEMA flood zone | Pinellas evacuation zone |
|---|---|
| Decides if your lender can require flood insurance | Tells you when to leave before a storm |
| Look up your FEMA zone | Know Your Zone (Pinellas County tool) |
The flood maps used in Pinellas County show zones AE, AH, AO and VE, plus lower-risk X areas, per the county's flood map page. That list is countywide, not checked for the city alone. 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.
The City of St. Petersburg's current flood maps took effect on August 24, 2021. You can see your zone on the Pinellas County flood zone map or on the official maps at the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. Your evacuation zone is a different map. Find it on Know Your Zone, on your Pinellas utility bill, or by phone at (727) 453-3150.
Pinellas emergency numbers for St. Petersburg residents
| Who | Phone | What they handle |
|---|---|---|
| Pinellas County Emergency Management | (727) 464-3800 | Evacuation orders, storm plans, emergency help |
| Pinellas County Flood Information Services | (727) 464-7700 | Your flood zone, flood history and map questions |
| City of St. Petersburg permits and flood reports | (727) 893-7231 | Report flooding; permits before you repair or rebuild |
The first two are county offices that serve St. Petersburg residents too. The city number comes from the city's own flooding page.
Shelters. Pinellas County keeps a standing list of shelters and opens them as needed for each storm. Eight of them are in the city, including Gibbs High School, 850 34th St. S., which is pet friendly, and John Hopkins Middle, 701 16th St. S., which serves people with special needs. Not all shelters open for every storm. Before you go, check which ones are open on Know Your Zone or the county shelter page, or call the County Information Center at (727) 464-4333 during a storm.
More help: Pinellas County emergency information.
If your St. Petersburg 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.
- Call the City of St. Petersburg at (727) 893-7231 about permits before you repair or rebuild.
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 St. Petersburg runs its own flood rules, so ask the city how it counts the cost before you start work. Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) coverage on an NFIP policy can help pay for that work.
5 Pinellas storms behind these numbers
Claims by storm are kept for the whole county, not the city alone. These are Pinellas County figures. The City of St. Petersburg's own 10-year total is the $1,203,811,422 above.
| Storm | Year | NFIP claims in Pinellas County | Paid in Pinellas County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene | 2024 | 23,449 | $3,209,654,225 |
| Hurricane Milton | 2024 | 2,576 | $141,537,051 |
| Hurricane Idalia | 2023 | 1,987 | $136,541,226 |
| Hurricane Eta | 2020 | 1,065 | $50,606,767 |
| December Nor'easter | 2023 | 202 | $4,987,821 |
Hurricane Helene alone paid $3,209,654,225 in NFIP claims across Pinellas County, more than the other four storms in this table put together. One storm can change a whole county's flood record.
Buying or closing in St. Petersburg? Read this first
About 8 in 10 City of St. Petersburg 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. St. Petersburg's August 24, 2021 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 St. Petersburg homes and more for others. What a lender can require.
City of St. Petersburg flood insurance: 6 questions
How much is flood insurance in the City of St. Petersburg? The NFIP average is $1,485 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 St. Petersburg get a flood insurance discount? Yes. FEMA rates the City of St. Petersburg Class 5 in the Community Rating System, worth 25% off NFIP premiums for eligible policies, since October 1, 2016.
Is the St. Petersburg discount the same as the rest of Pinellas County? No. The City of St. Petersburg is its own NFIP community with its own class. Unincorporated Pinellas and the other Pinellas cities have their own.
How long is the wait for a new flood policy in St. Petersburg? 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? Look it up on the county's Know Your Zone tool at kyz.pinellas.gov, check your Pinellas utility bill, or call (727) 453-3150. Your evacuation zone is not your FEMA flood zone.
Do I need flood insurance in zone X in St. Petersburg? 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 Pinellas and Florida flood guides
- Pinellas County flood insurance: the county numbers, storms and contacts
- Pinellas County flood zone map: see the zones on a map
- Hillsborough County flood insurance: across the bay in Tampa
- 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 St. Petersburg by Census block group); FEMA NFIP Community Status Book, City of St. Petersburg row (read November 4, 2026); Pinellas County Emergency Management, Know Your Zone, shelter and flood map pages (read July 3, 2026 to November 4, 2026); City of St. Petersburg flooding page (read November 3, 2026); U.S. Census 2020 and 2024 Gazetteer.
Lender says you need flood insurance? Read what the law requires and what you still choose.
Page data last verified 2026-11-04. Every figure links to the federal or county record it came from.