Flood Claims Map

California

Flood insurance claims in San Mateo County, California

FEMA records 1,110 National Flood Insurance Program claims in San Mateo County, California, since 1978, with $20.1 million paid in total. The year with the most claims was 1998, with 236. As of 3 August 2026, 1.8% of homes here had an NFIP policy, and 30.9% of homes in the high-risk flood zone did.

NFIP claims on record1,110
Total paid$20.1 million
Claims with a payment714
Homes with NFIP policy1.8%
High-risk zone homes insured30.9%
Residential policies in force3,346

Claims by year of loss

1978: 1819781979: 161980: 251981: 61982: 15619821983: 851984: 21985: 21986: 4219861987: 101988: 11989: 81990: 019901991: 11992: 51993: 101994: 419941995: 241996: 111997: 91998: 23619981999: 62000: 62001: 142002: 2620022003: 22004: 132005: 172006: 1220062007: 02008: 142009: 62010: 1820102011: 72012: 152013: 32014: 3520142015: 52016: 202017: 282018: 620182019: 42020: 72021: 442022: 9720222023: 272024: 22025: 42026: 12026236

NFIP claims by year of loss, San Mateo County, California

1978: $21,73919781979: $7,0801980: $127,1251981: $5,7961982: $906,14419821983: $356,2701984: $01985: $01986: $171,20819861987: $26,4601988: $7,6431989: $120,1901990: $019901991: $01992: $14,8721993: $27,9381994: $43,51319941995: $58,7961996: $44,2311997: $2,4181998: $3.8 million19981999: $2,6542000: $23,4742001: $43,7382002: $806,45220022003: $18,8172004: $123,7572005: $1.3 million2006: $218,85420062007: $02008: $95,2182009: $95,6652010: $88,82520102011: $36,0632012: $95,2692013: $3,2382014: $1.1 million20142015: $60,6542016: $195,2152017: $483,8752018: $118,23820182019: $7,7662020: $137,3522021: $2.6 million2022: $6.0 million20222023: $659,7072024: $02025: $164,2892026: $02026$6.0 million

Paid on claims by year of loss (building, contents and increased cost of compliance), San Mateo County, California

Named flood events with the most claims

Event (FEMA name)Claims
Flooding257
Pineapple Express - Southern219
California Atmospheric River119
Winter storm9
Mid-Winter California Flooding1
December California Flooding1

ZIP codes with the most claims

ZIP code (as reported)Claims
94010124
94044122
9406089
9408086
9407074
9406367
9402557
9403055
9440148
9430347

537 of the claims were on properties rated in a high-risk flood zone (zones starting A or V). Building $16.6 million, contents $3.5 million, increased cost of compliance $15,000.

Flood insurance take-up

HomesWith NFIP policyShare
High-risk flood zone7,0522,17830.9%
All homes182,4153,3461.8%

FEMA counts residential structures and NFIP residential policies in force as of 3 August 2026. Private flood policies are not counted. A share is shown as n/a where FEMA counts no homes or more policies than homes.

Flood insurance basics. Most standard homeowners policies do not cover flood damage. NFIP policies are sold through insurance agents and through FEMA's FloodSmart site, which also explains waiting periods (usually 30 days before cover starts). Check your property's flood zone on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.

Sources

  1. FEMA, OpenFEMA FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims (v2 dataset, API v3 NfipClaims), 2,725,989 claim records, retrieved 29 October 2026
  2. FEMA, OpenFEMA NFIP Residential Penetration Rates, as of 3 August 2026

Checked 29 October 2026. Claims are NFIP claims only. Private flood insurance claims and uninsured losses are not included. Recent events can take months to be fully reflected.