Flood Claims Map

South Carolina

Flood insurance claims in Charleston County, South Carolina

FEMA records 19,289 National Flood Insurance Program claims in Charleston County, South Carolina, since 1978, with $312.2 million paid in total. The year with the most claims was 1989, with 9,499. As of 3 August 2026, 31.7% of homes here had an NFIP policy, and 78.3% of homes in the high-risk flood zone did.

NFIP claims on record19,289
Total paid$312.2 million
Claims with a payment13,284
Homes with NFIP policy31.7%
High-risk zone homes insured78.3%
Residential policies in force46,856

Claims by year of loss

1978: 919781979: 3171980: 131981: 301982: 13419821983: 341984: 171985: 481986: 2419861987: 3041988: 781989: 9,4991990: 12819901991: 241992: 501993: 731994: 61119941995: 381996: 791997: 1191998: 15919981999: 5792000: 272001: 362002: 5720022003: 192004: 1972005: 792006: 2120062007: 152008: 1532009: 542010: 2520102011: 222012: 722013: 552014: 2220142015: 2,1112016: 1,4622017: 1,5782018: 11920182019: 632020: 862021: 412022: 14120222023: 2952024: 1422025: 242026: 620269,499

NFIP claims by year of loss, Charleston County, South Carolina

1978: $3,31719781979: $381,2731980: $4,1351981: $6,4551982: $125,72619821983: $15,7261984: $58,3031985: $30,3881986: $33,98819861987: $591,9101988: $99,8191989: $181.2 million1990: $376,85719901991: $27,1121992: $145,4921993: $139,7071994: $1.5 million19941995: $128,4371996: $245,6461997: $695,9851998: $480,26319981999: $628,7432000: $104,4792001: $397,1122002: $456,05220022003: $67,8432004: $1.3 million2005: $800,1472006: $143,16920062007: $28,2522008: $3.7 million2009: $375,5052010: $94,55820102011: $99,2742012: $1.2 million2013: $483,4172014: $89,19420142015: $27.9 million2016: $33.9 million2017: $39.4 million2018: $1.6 million20182019: $299,6592020: $1.1 million2021: $245,7722022: $2.7 million20222023: $5.6 million2024: $3.0 million2025: $239,7112026: $8,4682026$181.2 million

Paid on claims by year of loss (building, contents and increased cost of compliance), Charleston County, South Carolina

Named flood events with the most claims

Event (FEMA name)Claims
Hurricane Hugo9,430
October severe storms1,928
Hurricane Irma1,495
Hurricane Matthew1,417
Flooding534
Hurricane Floyd509
December Nor'easter203
Hurricane Ian94

ZIP codes with the most claims

ZIP code (as reported)Claims
294013,214
294512,691
294122,452
294072,253
294641,782
294391,213
294141,210
294551,026
29403993
29482894

16,928 of the claims were on properties rated in a high-risk flood zone (zones starting A or V). Building $278.3 million, contents $33.6 million, increased cost of compliance $271,334.

Flood insurance take-up

HomesWith NFIP policyShare
High-risk flood zone44,95235,18978.3%
All homes148,00946,85631.7%

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.