Flood insurance in Vermont: cost by ZIP code and county
Vermont had 2,200 single-family flood policies on July 31, 2026, with a median yearly bill of $1,321, high for an inland state.
Median single-family flood bill, Vermont
$1,321
2,200 policies in force on July 31, 2026, premium and fees included.
| Median full-risk price, same policies | $1,760 |
| Policies still below their full-risk price | 44 % |
| Median paid in August 2023 | $985 |
| Increase left from the median | 2 renewals at 18 % |
| Next five bills, added up | $8,586 |
| Median claim paid, 2016 to 2025 (462 claims) | $18,443 |
Compiled by Radif Partners · Where the numbers come from · 115 ZIP codes and 14 counties of Vermont in FEMA's tables · not a quote
In Vermont, a single-family flood policy had a median total cost of $1,321 a year on July 31, 2026: premium, Reserve Fund Assessment, HFIAA surcharge and Federal Policy Fee. Only 5 states had a higher median, and Vermont has no coast at all. The zone mix shows where the cost sits: A zone policies, 1,219 of the 2,200, had a median bill of $1,750, against $1,121 in X zones. The full-risk median is $1,760, and 44 % of policies still pay less than their full-risk premium. The claims record is dominated by one summer: Vermont/New York Flooding in 2023 paid 288 claims, 62 % of all single-family claims paid in the state from 2016 to 2025, at a state median of $18,443.
Rivers, not tides
The USGS gauges the Winooski, the Lamoille, the Otter Creek and the White River, among other Vermont streams, and FEMA's 2023 tables count every Vermont single-family policy as exposed to inland flooding. The flood that matters for insurance here is a river flood, not a tidal one.
Washington County, home to Montpelier and Barre, has the highest median bill of the eight largest counties, $1,595 on July 31, 2026, and a full-risk median of $2,489. Windsor County follows with 391 policies at $1,410. Chittenden County, around Burlington, is lower at $1,202.
The July 2023 flood
FEMA's disaster declaration DR-4720 gives an incident period of July 7 to 21, 2023. Vermont/New York Flooding paid 288 claims on Vermont single-family homes, $11,023,841 in all. Washington County alone recorded 145 paid claims over the decade, at a median of $18,926. Rutland County had 44.
Comparing the July 31, 2026 policy file with FEMA's August 2023 count, a different source, some counties now show more policies: Windsor County, Chittenden County, Franklin County, Addison County. A policy bought after a flood still waits 30 days before it can pay.
Insured outside the mapped floodplain
Not every Vermont policy was bought for a mortgage: 979 of its single-family policies, 45 %, are rated in X zones, where a lender does not require coverage. For an inland state far from any surge, that is a sizable group. Over the claim years, 109 claims went to X zone homes, at a median of $16,954, not far below the A zone median of $19,170.
What a policy pays on a large loss
A federal policy on a house covers up to $250,000 for the building and up to $100,000 for contents, after a deductible of up to $10,000 chosen at purchase. Contents coverage is a separate choice. Try a large loss below to see the split between what the policy pays and what stays with the owner.
What a Vermont policy would pay on a major flood
The federal policy would pay
$308,000
| Building, up to $250,000 | $250,000 |
| Belongings, up to $100,000 | $58,000 |
| Above the legal limits | $48,000 |
| Deductibles | $4,000 |
Lamoille County had the widest gap in FEMA's 2023 table, $905 paid against $2,528 at full risk, on 79 policies. The coverage limits guide sets out the limits and deductibles in detail.
The Vermont 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 | 338 | $1,595 | $2,489 | 48 % | 3 | $1,261 | $18,926 |
| Windsor County | 391 | $1,410 | $2,025 | 37 % | 3 | $1,036 | $21,669 |
| Windham County | 229 | $1,260 | $1,998 | 49 % | 3 | $913 | $13,166 |
| Chittenden County | 234 | $1,202 | $1,422 | 49 % | 2 | $863 | $18,222 |
| Rutland County | 201 | $1,234 | $1,418 | 36 % | 1 | $976 | $14,098 |
| Bennington County | 168 | $1,431 | $2,105 | 48 % | 3 | $1,082 | $17,556 |
| Franklin County | 118 | $1,048 | $1,127 | 37 % | 1 | $874 | n/a |
| Addison County | 115 | $1,195 | $1,390 | 44 % | 1 | $881 | n/a |
Full-risk prices of Vermont homes, band by band
| Full risk-based price a year | Policies | Share | Median rebuild value |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 to $1,000 | 536 | 23.9 % | $416,288 |
| $1,000 to $2,000 | 644 | 28.7 % | $384,778 |
| $2,000 to $3,000 | 446 | 19.9 % | $371,088 |
| $3,000 to $4,000 | 274 | 12.2 % | $427,976 |
| $4,000 to $5,000 | 156 | 7.0 % | $497,442 |
| $5,000 or more | 188 | 8.4 % |
The floods that paid the most Vermont claims since 2016
| Event (FEMA name) | Year | Paid claims | Paid in total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont/New York Flooding | 2023 | 288 | $11,023,841 |
| December Nor'easter | 2023 | 8 | $153,144 |