Maine flood insurance and flood history
From FEMA's flood insurance and disaster data · Updated 2026-10-08
FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data lists 5,672 flood insurance claims in Maine since 1978. The NFIP paid $87.1 million on them (building, contents and Increased Cost of Compliance payments, in the dollars of the year paid).
The year with the most claims was 2024, with 744.
In the last ten years (2017–2026) there were 1,293 claims, and the average paid claim was $45,528.
33% of the claims with a recorded flood zone came from buildings outside FEMA's high-risk zones (rated zones B, C and X).
About 1.2% of homes in Maine had an NFIP flood policy in FEMA's latest count (6,651 of 538,014 residential buildings). In the high-risk flood zones (Special Flood Hazard Areas), it was 79% (4,052 of 5,159).
Since 2000, FEMA has made 25 flood-related disaster declarations covering parts of Maine. The most recent was DR-4764-ME (Severe Storms and Flooding), declared March 20, 2024.
Flood insurance claims in Maine by year
Show as a table
| Year | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | $119,077 |
| 2024 | 744 | $29.4 million |
| 2023 | 207 | $8.2 million |
| 2022 | 142 | $3.6 million |
| 2021 | 7 | $195,720 |
| 2020 | 12 | $61,214 |
| 2019 | 23 | $317,856 |
| 2018 | 133 | $3.0 million |
| 2017 | 18 | $412,903 |
| 2016 | 11 | $84,449 |
| 2015 | 13 | $89,678 |
| 2014 | 41 | $679,868 |
| 2013 | 35 | $475,663 |
| 2012 | 47 | $534,203 |
| 2011 | 38 | $451,312 |
| 2010 | 116 | $997,633 |
| 2009 | 32 | $191,918 |
| 2008 | 136 | $2.5 million |
| 2007 | 419 | $7.0 million |
| 2006 | 181 | $2.6 million |
| 2005 | 105 | $507,446 |
| 2004 | 7 | $2,598 |
| 2003 | 47 | $337,127 |
| 2002 | 12 | $77,805 |
| 2001 | 32 | $126,391 |
| 2000 | 21 | $54,988 |
| 1999 | 17 | $48,702 |
| 1998 | 94 | $669,801 |
| 1997 | 41 | $359,035 |
| 1996 | 281 | $1.9 million |
| 1995 | 9 | $6,405 |
| 1994 | 63 | $1.2 million |
| 1993 | 79 | $267,612 |
| 1992 | 30 | $70,662 |
| 1991 | 597 | $5.2 million |
| 1990 | 67 | $225,581 |
| 1989 | 40 | $103,554 |
| 1988 | 8 | $31,200 |
| 1987 | 584 | $10.1 million |
| 1986 | 95 | $156,623 |
| 1985 | 5 | $31,701 |
| 1984 | 86 | $181,100 |
| 1983 | 152 | $617,414 |
| 1982 | 41 | $85,904 |
| 1981 | 43 | $72,660 |
| 1980 | 53 | $64,879 |
| 1979 | 195 | $491,052 |
| 1978 | 506 | $3.1 million |
Biggest flood events by NFIP payments
The flood events FEMA's claims data names most often for Maine, ranked by what the NFIP paid. FEMA names events in its claims records; claims without an event name aren't included here.
| Event | Year | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flooding | 1987 | 539 | $10.0 million |
| December Nor'easter | 2023 | 173 | $7.5 million |
| April 2007 Nor'easter | 2007 | 394 | $6.9 million |
| The "Halloween" Storm | 1991 | 518 | $4.5 million |
| Hurricane Irene | 2011 | 19 | $364,735 |
| Hurricane Sandy | 2012 | 10 | $57,681 |
What flood insurance costs in Maine
On June 30, 2026, 8,424 NFIP flood insurance policies were in force in Maine. For the 5,757 single-family homes among them, the typical (median) yearly cost was about $1,190; the average was $1,550.
| Rated flood zone | Policies | Typical yearly cost, single-family home | Average cost | Average building coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High-risk zones (A and V) | 5,504 | $1,390 | $1,900 | $215,000 |
| Moderate- and low-risk zones (B, C and X) | 2,920 | $860 | $1,050 | $234,000 |
Cost here is what FEMA's data lists as the policy cost: the premium plus the reserve fund assessment, federal policy fee and HFIAA surcharge. It covers single-family homes only (not condos, apartments or businesses), with costs rounded to the nearest $10 and shown only where at least 20 homes back the figure. Your own price depends on your building and the coverage you choose; see how flood insurance is priced. Private flood insurance isn't included.
Policies and average cost by exact flood zone
Flood history by county
Every Maine county in FEMA's data, sorted by number of NFIP claims since 1978. "Insured" is the share of homes with an NFIP policy; "typical NFIP cost" is the median yearly cost for single-family homes.
| County | Claims | Paid | Insured | Typical NFIP cost | Flood declarations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| York County | 2,666 | $44.7 million | 3.4% | $1,410 | 14 |
| Cumberland County | 504 | $5.5 million | 1.3% | $1,010 | 7 |
| Kennebec County | 441 | $7.4 million | 0.5% | $860 | 8 |
| Aroostook County | 358 | $4.6 million | 0.3% | $1,010 | 4 |
| Oxford County | 352 | $5.9 million | 1.1% | $1,040 | 12 |
| Penobscot County | 238 | $1.7 million | 0.4% | $1,160 | 4 |
| Lincoln County | 149 | $3.6 million | 1.6% | $940 | 9 |
| Androscoggin County | 147 | $1.1 million | 0.5% | $910 | 8 |
| Somerset County | 138 | $2.0 million | 0.6% | $1,190 | 10 |
| Knox County | 92 | $1.9 million | 1.5% | $1,090 | 12 |
| Hancock County | 89 | $1.1 million | 1.0% | $890 | 8 |
| Franklin County | 88 | $1.8 million | 0.7% | $1,410 | 11 |
| Piscataquis County | 87 | $2.0 million | 0.4% | $990 | 8 |
| Sagadahoc County | 85 | $1.1 million | 1.0% | $910 | 8 |
| Waldo County | 73 | $1.5 million | 0.8% | $810 | 13 |
| Washington County | 30 | $85,785 | 0.7% | $990 | 9 |
Flood-related FEMA disaster declarations in Maine
Declarations since 2000 that FEMA lists as involving flooding. "Help for individuals" means FEMA's Individual Assistance was approved for at least part of the area.
| Declaration | Declared | Event | Help for individuals |
|---|---|---|---|
| DR-4764-ME | Mar 20, 2024 | Severe Storms and Flooding | Yes |
| DR-4754-ME | Jan 30, 2024 | Severe Storm and Flooding | Yes |
| DR-4737-ME | Sep 6, 2023 | Severe Storm and Flooding | No |
| DR-4736-ME | Sep 5, 2023 | Severe Storm and Flooding | No |
| DR-4719-ME | Jul 6, 2023 | Severe Storm and Flooding | No |
| DR-4696-ME | Mar 22, 2023 | Severe Storm and Flooding | No |
| DR-4647-ME | Mar 15, 2022 | Severe Storm and Flooding | No |
| DR-4367-ME | May 30, 2018 | Severe Storm and Flooding | No |
| DR-4354-ME | Jan 2, 2018 | Severe Storm and Flooding | No |
| DR-4208-ME | Mar 12, 2015 | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding | No |
| DR-4108-ME | Mar 25, 2013 | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding | No |
| DR-1953-ME | Feb 1, 2011 | Severe Storms and Flooding | No |
| DR-1920-ME | Jul 1, 2010 | Severe Storms and Flooding | No |
| DR-1852-ME | Jul 30, 2009 | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides | No |
| DR-1815-ME | Jan 9, 2009 | Severe Winter Storm and Flooding | No |
| DR-1788-ME | Sep 9, 2008 | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes | No |
| DR-1755-ME | May 9, 2008 | Severe Storms and Flooding | Yes |
| DR-1716-ME | Aug 8, 2007 | Severe Storms and Flooding | No |
| DR-1693-ME | Apr 25, 2007 | Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding | Yes |
| DR-1691-ME | Apr 20, 2007 | Flooding | No |
| DR-1644-ME | May 25, 2006 | Severe Storms and Flooding | Yes |
| DR-1591-ME | Jun 29, 2005 | Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt, and Ice Jams | No |
| DR-1508-ME | Feb 5, 2004 | Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt and Ice Jams | No |
| DR-1371-ME | May 16, 2001 | Severe Winter Storms and Flooding | No |
| DR-1326-ME | Apr 28, 2000 | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Ice Jams | No |
What to do with this
A county's history doesn't tell you your own building's risk. To see your property's flood zone, use FEMA's flood map lookup. To weigh coverage, start with do I need flood insurance? and what flood insurance costs.
Where these numbers come from
All figures on this page are calculated from FEMA's public OpenFEMA datasets:
- NFIP Redacted Claims (v3) (FEMA (OpenFEMA)): NFIP claims since 1978, downloaded 2026-10-08. Dollar amounts are what the NFIP paid, not adjusted for inflation. Claims filed under private flood insurance aren't included.
- NFIP Residential Penetration Rates (v1) (FEMA (OpenFEMA)): NFIP residential policy contracts in force (as of August 3, 2026) divided by FEMA's count of residential buildings from the National Structure Inventory. FEMA notes that inventory is incomplete in some counties, which can inflate the rate. Private flood policies aren't counted.
- NFIP Redacted Policies (v3) (FEMA (OpenFEMA)): NFIP policies in force on June 30, 2026 (a policy counts if its term covers that date and it wasn't cancelled), downloaded 2026-10-08. Policy counts are FEMA's insured units, so a condominium association policy counts each unit. Costs are FEMA's "policy cost" (premium plus reserve fund assessment, federal policy fee and HFIAA surcharge) for single-family homes only. Policies FEMA's data doesn't place in a county count toward the state only.
- Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2) (FEMA (OpenFEMA)): disaster declarations, downloaded 2026-10-08. We count a declaration as flood-related when FEMA lists flooding (or a dam or levee break) as its incident type or a designated incident type, or the declaration's title mentions flooding.
FEMA's redacted claims data doesn't identify properties, and FEMA notes that some records lack a county or flood zone. See how we use the data.