Flood Claims Map

California

Flood insurance claims in Santa Cruz County, California

FEMA records 1,633 National Flood Insurance Program claims in Santa Cruz County, California, since 1978, with $24.9 million paid in total. The year with the most claims was 1998, with 292. As of 3 August 2026, 2.5% of homes here had an NFIP policy, and 33.0% of homes in the high-risk flood zone did.

NFIP claims on record1,633
Total paid$24.9 million
Claims with a payment1,098
Homes with NFIP policy2.5%
High-risk zone homes insured33.0%
Residential policies in force2,095

Claims by year of loss

1978: 1719781979: 31980: 401981: 321982: 20719821983: 1801984: 21985: 31986: 6819861987: 21988: 11989: 141990: 019901991: 31992: 131993: 71994: 219941995: 941996: 331997: 271998: 29219981999: 92000: 362001: 102002: 2020022003: 82004: 82005: 202006: 1120062007: 02008: 92009: 22010: 620102011: 292012: 162013: 22014: 820142015: 22016: 232017: 1022018: 120182019: 42020: 02021: 72022: 9720222023: 1552024: 72025: 1292

NFIP claims by year of loss, Santa Cruz County, California

1978: $47,84819781979: $11,8981980: $127,2431981: $55,7721982: $1.7 million19821983: $1.9 million1984: $01985: $01986: $211,62619861987: $5151988: $01989: $01990: $019901991: $1,2581992: $13,3181993: $15,4271994: $2,88219941995: $584,9531996: $97,5481997: $189,9931998: $4.3 million19981999: $6,4862000: $196,3202001: $58,5762002: $162,93820022003: $22,3932004: $34,2992005: $337,1942006: $16,96320062007: $02008: $184,2252009: $9,8172010: $48,72220102011: $590,7622012: $252,7862013: $02014: $58,28120142015: $9162016: $113,9532017: $1.2 million2018: $020182019: $38,5952020: $02021: $76,3472022: $4.2 million20222023: $7.8 million2024: $117,4632025: $0$7.8 million

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

Named flood events with the most claims

Event (FEMA name)Claims
Flooding503
Pineapple Express - Southern277
California Atmospheric River239
December California Flooding7
San Diego Flooding5
Winter storm4

ZIP codes with the most claims

ZIP code (as reported)Claims
95003318
95076297
95018268
95060193
95006127
9501098
9500598
9507385
9506637
9506232

864 of the claims were on properties rated in a high-risk flood zone (zones starting A or V). Building $22.9 million, contents $2.0 million, increased cost of compliance $15,000.

Flood insurance take-up

HomesWith NFIP policyShare
High-risk flood zone5,3651,76933.0%
All homes83,7492,0952.5%

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.