Flood Insurance in Columbia County, Florida

How to get affordable flood insurance in Columbia County, Florida

Columbia County sits in the north-central region of Florida with a population of just over 71,000 people. It’s a real hidden gem for nature lovers, featuring the largest number of freshwater springs in the world. Ichetucknee Springs State Park has a six-mile-long freshwater spring that begins in Columbia County. It’s open year-round for hiking and enjoying the wildlife.

But its proximity to large bodies of water makes Columbia County prone to floods. Without flood insurance, homeowners here would be left to pay for water damage from rising water and storm surges on their own.

Luckily, you have an affordable flood insurance alternative to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). With Kin, you can just add flood insurance to your homeowners' policy. One policy, one premium, one deductible, zero hassle.

Columbia County flood insurance costs

Florida flood insurance has a long history of being cost-prohibitive. We created our solution to make it easy and affordable to protect your home against floods.

Whereas the NFIP policy must be purchased separately from your home insurance, you can add our flood insurance to your homeowners' policy as an endorsement. That means we handle all your home and flood claims, and you don’t have to juggle separate premiums or deductibles.

On average, our flood insurance costs $128 a year for Columbia County. Compare that to the NFIP’s average for this area: $509 a year. That’s an average savings of $380 per year.

Kin vs. NFIP average flood insurance premiums

Keep in mind that your flood insurance costs may vary based on your home’s exact location and your flood zone. To find out how much you’ll save, contact us for a quote – it only takes minutes!

Columbia County flood zones

Flood zones are one of the primary factors that influence how much Florida residents pay for flood insurance. FEMA flood maps show that Columbia County has the following flood zones:

• A
• AE
• AH
• X

Most of the high-risk flood zones (A, AE, and AH) are toward the northern portion of the county, while the southern half of the county contains mostly low-risk areas (flood zone X). Flood zones A, AE, and AH are all high-risk flood zones. But even in the southern portion of Columbia County, high-risk flood zones still exist, especially on the county's eastern and western borders.

For example, 17% of the properties in Lake City, Florida, are at risk of flooding. Meanwhile, 22 % of properties in White Springs are at risk.

If you're in a high-risk flood zone in Columbia County and you have a federally-backed mortgage, you’re required to have flood insurance.

What does Columbia County flood insurance cover?

Flood insurance can help pay for damage to your home, belongings, and other structures when there’s a flood from a storm surge, heavy rainfall, or rising water. It can also cover water damage from broken water mains.

That means it can help you repair or replace essentials like:

• High-value items.
• Clothing and electronics.
• Electrical, cooling, heating, and plumbing systems.
• Household appliances.
• Foundation, walls, and stairs.
• Carpeting and window treatments.
• Detached garages.

Flood insurance covers your home, belongings, and other structures for their replacement cost up to the limits of your homeowner's policy.

Tips to lower Columbia County flood risk

Flooding is the most common natural disaster in the United States. When you take steps to reduce your home’s risk of flooding, it reduces the chance of claims which keeps your flood coverage more affordable.

To lower your home's risk of experiencing flood damage, be sure to:

• Keep your property in good repair.
• Check your property’s exterior for signs of pooling water near the foundation.
• Move water-sensitive equipment out of the basement or crawl spaces.
• Know your home’s flood risk.

To check off that last action item, check out Risk Factor. Just type in your address (or city or ZIP code) to see your area’s chance of experiencing a flood. It’s regularly updated and peer-researched to help you make informed decisions about your flood coverage.

Florida county flood insurance guides