How to cancel flood insurance in Florida

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How do I cancel?

To cancel an NFIP policy, you send a cancellation request to the insurance company with the papers that prove your reason. That company is the one named on your declarations page, the one that sends your bill.

• Say why. The reason you give decides what you get back. Each reason has its own papers, shown below.
• Send it all at once. The request counts from the day the company gets it with the right papers. Send it as soon as you can.
• Open claim? Wait. A policy with an open claim cannot be canceled.
• Paid claim this year? A policy year with a paid claim usually cannot be canceled. A few reasons, such as selling the home, are the exception.

One warning. The cancel form has you sign that you know you may lose eligibility for discounted NFIP rates. A new NFIP policy later also usually has a 30-day wait before coverage starts. The big exception: a policy bought as part of getting, refinancing, increasing, extending or renewing a loan on the home can start at closing with no wait. See how the 30-day wait works.

Did you sell the house? Start here.

I sold the house. Can I cancel?

Once you no longer own the home, the policy has nothing left to cover, and the insurance company cancels it. You get back the unused part of the premium, counted from the date you sold.

Send proof of the sale, such as:

• the bill of sale,
• the settlement statement, or
• the closing disclosure statement.

There is another choice. If the buyer wants your NFIP policy, you can sign it over at closing instead of canceling it. See how assigning the policy works.

Paid off the loan, or got a LOMA? Read this next.

Paid off the mortgage, or got a LOMA?

Both use the same reason: your lender no longer requires the policy. It fits when:

• You paid off the loan. The policy was required at the loan closing, and you have now paid off the mortgage.
• The map changed. Your home was in a high-risk zone, and FEMA issued a map change, such as a LOMA or a LOMR, that took the building out of it.

The papers. A letter from the lender saying flood insurance is no longer required, or a statement from you.

What comes back. The unused part of the premium for the current policy year only. It counts from the day the company gets your request, not from the day you paid off the loan or got the letter. Fees and surcharges do not come back.

Still have a loan? Ask your lender in writing first. Outside the high-risk zone, a lender can still require flood insurance at its own choice. A LOMA does not cancel the policy by itself; you still have to ask. See what to do with your lender after a LOMA.

Bought a private flood policy? Check the deadline.

Switched to a private flood policy?

You can cancel the NFIP policy and get the full premium back, fees and surcharges included, when both of these are true:

• The start dates line up. The private policy starts before, on, or within 30 days after the date the NFIP policy started.
• You ask in time. The deadline is changing:
• Until November 30, 2026: you must ask within 90 days of the date the NFIP policy started.
• From December 1, 2026: you must ask within the current NFIP policy term.

Bought the private policy later than that? It does not qualify for this full refund. You keep the NFIP policy to the end of its term, unless another reason on this page fits.

Private policies have their own cancel rules. See how they differ from the NFIP.

Did the closing fall through? Read this.

Closing fell through, or changed your mind before it started?

The closing did not happen. If you bought the policy for a home sale that never closed, the policy can be voided. You get the full premium back, fees and surcharges included, less any claim payments made during that policy term.

You changed your mind before the start date. If you decide before a new or renewal policy starts that you do not want it, you can cancel it. This works only if no lender, law or contract requires you to have flood insurance on the home.

Not sure you should cancel at all? Think it through first.

Should I cancel?

Ask two questions first.

• Does anyone still require it? If you have a loan, ask your lender in writing. Your flood zone decides whether federal law makes the lender require flood insurance, and the lender can require it outside the zone too.
• Can the home still flood? With no loan, nobody requires flood insurance. But a home outside the high-risk zone can still flood.

Start with the address. Check my address to see the FEMA flood zone for your home. A licensed, independent insurance agent can then help you decide whether to keep, change or cancel your policy.

What do Florida owners ask about canceling flood insurance?

Can I cancel flood insurance at any time?

You can cancel an NFIP policy under its rules. You may get a full or partial refund, depending on the reason. You cannot cancel while a claim is open.

Do I get a refund if I cancel?

It depends on why. Sold the home: the unused part from the sale date. Lender no longer requires it: the unused part of this year, from the day the company gets your request, with no fees back. Switched to a private policy in time: the full premium, fees and surcharges included.

Can I cancel flood insurance after paying off my mortgage?

Yes. The reason is that your lender no longer requires it. You get back the unused part of the current policy year, counted from the day the company gets your request. Fees and surcharges do not come back.

Can I cancel after a LOMA?

Yes, if your lender no longer requires the policy. A lender can still require flood insurance outside the high-risk zone, so ask in writing first.

Can I cancel my NFIP policy if I switch to private flood insurance?

Yes, with a full refund, if the private policy starts before, on, or within 30 days after the NFIP start date, and you ask in time. Until November 30, 2026, that means within 90 days of the NFIP start date. From December 1, 2026, it means within the current NFIP policy term.

What happens to my flood policy when I sell my house?

The insurance company cancels it, and you get back the unused part from the sale date. Or you can sign the policy over to the buyer at closing.

Can I cancel if I have an open claim?

No. A policy with an open claim cannot be canceled.

Facts last checked November 14, 2026. Every figure comes from the federal or state source listed above.