Flood insurance in Rhode Island: cost by ZIP code and county
Rhode Island's 7,495 single-family flood policies cost a median $1,204 a year on July 31, 2026.
Median single-family flood bill, Rhode Island
$1,204
7,495 policies in force on July 31, 2026, premium and fees included.
| Median full-risk price, same policies | $1,316 |
| Policies still below their full-risk price | 35 % |
| Median paid in August 2023 | $986 |
| Increase left from the median | 1 renewal at 18 % |
| Next five bills, added up | $6,580 |
| Median claim paid, 2016 to 2025 (214 claims) | $8,097 |
Compiled by Radif Partners · Where the numbers come from · 56 ZIP codes and 5 counties of Rhode Island in FEMA's tables · not a quote
Rhode Island's median flood bill sits above the national $1,081: $1,204 a year on July 31, 2026 for the 7,495 single-family policies in the federal program, a total that includes the premium, the Reserve Fund Assessment, the HFIAA surcharge and the Federal Policy Fee. The zone mix goes with the difference. 921 of those policies, about 12 %, are in V zones, the coastal high hazard areas flooded by tidal water with velocity, a share many times the national 1.5 %. Their median bill was $1,605. A-zone homes paid $1,377 and X-zone homes $890. The state is not far from full risk overall: the median full-risk bill is $1,316 and 35 % of policies still pay less than their full-risk premium. Washington County, which Rhode Island agencies call South County, carries 42 % of all policies. Claims have been few: 214 paid single-family claims from 2016 to 2025, median $8,097.
A small state where every county is coastal
FEMA's 2023 tables counted 73 % of its single-family policies as exposed to storm surge and 32 % to coastal erosion, among the highest erosion shares of any state. All five counties are on the Census Bureau's list of coastline counties, and together they make up the whole county table further down.
The V-zone count is the key figure. Nationally, V zones hold 1.5 % of single-family policies. Here 12 % of policies are, and the V-zone full-risk median is $1,722.
Rhode Island median bill by zone, V zones first
Median yearly cost, V zones, Rhode Island
$1,605
| Same zone type, whole country | $1,796 |
| A zones in Rhode Island | $1,377 |
| X, B, C zones in Rhode Island | $890 |
County by county
Washington County (3,149 policies) had a median bill of $1,278 on July 31, 2026, and Bristol County $1,261. Of the three coastal counties with the most policies, Bristol has the highest share of policies still capped, 41 %. Newport County is the cheapest of the three at $1,064 and the closest to full risk, with 25 % capped.
Providence County has the fewest policies, 619, but showed the widest 2023 gap between what owners paid ($858) and the full-risk figure ($1,310). It also logged the most paid claims of any county, 65, more than Washington's 37, so flooding away from the open shore counts here too. On July 31, 2026, 43 % of Providence County policies still paid less than their full-risk premium, the highest capped share of the five counties. Kent County sits between the two at $1,142.
What the last decade of claims shows
The totals over the claims window are modest. Hurricane Ida in 2021 produced 30 paid claims, and the December Nor'easter of 2023 24. The median paid claim was $8,097, far below the national $42,494. A quiet decade does not lower the rated risk on the shore, and the coverage limits guide shows how a policy pays when a large surge reaches a house. The Massachusetts page and Connecticut page give the neighbouring figures.
The Rhode Island counties with the most policies
| County | Policies | Median bill | Full-risk median | Still below full risk | Renewals left at 18 % | Median bill, August 2023 | Median claim 2016-2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County | 3,149 | $1,278 | $1,397 | 35 % | 1 | $1,042 | $9,420 |
| Bristol County | 1,278 | $1,261 | $1,374 | 41 % | 1 | $1,091 | $7,091 |
| Newport County | 1,369 | $1,064 | $1,092 | 25 % | 1 | $923 | $7,748 |
| Kent County | 1,080 | $1,142 | $1,234 | 32 % | 1 | $885 | $7,308 |
| Providence County | 619 | $1,067 | $1,258 | 43 % | 2 | $858 | $9,121 |
Full-risk prices of Rhode Island homes, band by band
| Full risk-based price a year | Policies | Share | Median rebuild value |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 to $1,000 | 2,563 | 32.1 % | $515,367 |
| $1,000 to $2,000 | 3,567 | 44.7 % | $494,965 |
| $2,000 to $3,000 | 1,144 | 14.4 % | $544,418 |
| $3,000 to $4,000 | 391 | 4.9 % | $532,120 |
| $4,000 to $5,000 | 159 | 2.0 % | $577,316 |
| $5,000 or more | 150 | 1.9 % |
The floods that paid the most Rhode Island claims since 2016
| Event (FEMA name) | Year | Paid claims | Paid in total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Ida | 2021 | 30 | $535,542 |
| December Nor'easter | 2023 | 24 | $428,639 |
| Hurricane Elsa | 2021 | 2 | $62,462 |