Flood insurance in Gulf County

Gulf County sits in the Florida Panhandle and boasts 244 miles of shoreline, the region’s most striking feature. Home to waterways along the Chipola River, the Dead Lakes, and plenty of small beach towns, Gulf County emphasizes the importance of water activities.

Homeowners here know all too well that water can be both a delight and an impending natural disaster. Gulf County has some of the highest flood exposure in Florida. The rivers, creeks, lakes, and coasts are especially vulnerable to flooding.

That makes flood insurance a necessity for most folks who call Gulf County home. While the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) was once the only coverage for this region, we’re happy to offer up our flood insurance solution.

Let’s see how our prices compare, who needs flood insurance, and how to assess your home’s actual flood risk.

Gulf County flood insurance costs

There's little doubt that Gulf County is a beautiful place to live, but being near the coast also means you have a high risk for floods. As a result, you most likely pay more for flood insurance than homeowners in other Florida counties. This may be particularly true if you have a standalone policy from the NFIP.

We've developed  Florida flood coverage in response to increasing flood exposure that's added to your homeowners policy as an endorsement. This helps make our product more affordable and easier to manage. When you  add our flood coverage to your home insurance, it takes effect immediately so you:

• Pay one premium for both home and flood insurance.
• Get flood coverage that matches your home insurance limits.
• Work with one company for both home and flood insurance claims.
• Get one deductible for both home and flood insurance.
• Don’t have to submit an elevation certificate (required with the NFIP).

Let’s take a look at FEMA's flood zone map for Gulf County to help identify where flood insurance is required.

Flood zones in Gulf County, Florida

Most of Gulf County is in a high-risk flood zone, thanks to its waterways and coastal proximity. Some of the county's most flood-prone regions are near places like Hathcock Bay. The high-risk areas in the county are:

• Flood Zone A.
• Flood Zone AE.
• Flood Zone AH.
• Flood Zone VE. 

If your home is in any of these zones and you have a federally-backed mortgage, you are required to have flood insurance because of the high risk for flooding.

What Gulf County flood insurance covers

Flood insurance can help pay to repair water damage from storm surges, rain, and broken water mains. It protects your home, belongings, and other structures. That means if your home experiences a flood, your coverage can help pay to repair or replace:

• Cabinets and paneling.
• Personal property.
• Appliances.
• Carpets and window treatments.
• Electrical, cooling, heating, and plumbing systems.

—and more!

But flood insurance can’t cover everything. Typically, it excludes coverage for:

• Boathouses.
• Fences or retaining walls.
• Pools or pool equipment.
• Landscaping.

Find out your home’s flood risk

The first step to determining your flood risk is to look at FEMA’s flood maps. You can also look up your address on a site like Risk Factor to see your home’s flood outlook. For example, Risk Factor shows that Port St. Joe has severe flood risk are at risk for flooding. 

Once you understand your home's flood risks, you can take active measures to lower your home's risk of flooding, which can translate to a lower flood insurance premium.

Flood insurance guides for Florida counties