Flood Claims Map

Iowa

Flood insurance claims in Polk County, Iowa

FEMA records 1,550 National Flood Insurance Program claims in Polk County, Iowa, since 1978, with $38.5 million paid in total. The year with the most claims was 1993, with 454. As of 3 August 2026, 0.4% of homes here had an NFIP policy, and 22.8% of homes in the high-risk flood zone did.

NFIP claims on record1,550
Total paid$38.5 million
Claims with a payment1,236
Homes with NFIP policy0.4%
High-risk zone homes insured22.8%
Residential policies in force670

Claims by year of loss

1978: 519781979: 81980: 41981: 71982: 1219821983: 271984: 201985: 01986: 8619861987: 11988: 01989: 01990: 20019901991: 11992: 01993: 4541994: 019941995: 31996: 31997: 61998: 10319981999: 12000: 12001: 22002: 520022003: 22004: 122005: 12006: 120062007: 62008: 1542009: 52010: 16720102011: 32012: 22013: 42014: 520142015: 372016: 02017: 02018: 14520182019: 212020: 12021: 32022: 020222023: 12024: 42025: 12026: 262026454

NFIP claims by year of loss, Polk County, Iowa

1978: $4,95219781979: $15,0741980: $4,3801981: $9,8211982: $13,47719821983: $42,9541984: $18,8971985: $01986: $587,20819861987: $1,2761988: $01989: $01990: $1.5 million19901991: $01992: $01993: $8.5 million1994: $019941995: $01996: $3,9081997: $311,4301998: $1.1 million19981999: $02000: $1,1652001: $4622002: $39,35620022003: $02004: $224,1462005: $02006: $23520062007: $177,4772008: $7.6 million2009: $9,2222010: $3.6 million20102011: $33,7972012: $5,9552013: $100,7172014: $7,66020142015: $2.2 million2016: $02017: $02018: $10.2 million20182019: $511,8552020: $02021: $8,9202022: $020222023: $02024: $47,2562025: $02026: $1.7 million2026$10.2 million

Paid on claims by year of loss (building, contents and increased cost of compliance), Polk County, Iowa

Named flood events with the most claims

Event (FEMA name)Claims
Midwest Flooding370
Flooding189
Storm71
Late spring storms4
March 2019 Midwest Flooding3

ZIP codes with the most claims

ZIP code (as reported)Claims
50265412
50312376
50317201
50313108
5032593
5031648
5030937
5031536
5032229
5013126

1,137 of the claims were on properties rated in a high-risk flood zone (zones starting A or V). Building $29.4 million, contents $8.9 million, increased cost of compliance $262,591.

Flood insurance take-up

HomesWith NFIP policyShare
High-risk flood zone1,60736622.8%
All homes163,8546700.4%

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.