Flood Claims Map

Washington

Flood insurance claims in Whatcom County, Washington

FEMA records 1,211 National Flood Insurance Program claims in Whatcom County, Washington, since 1979, with $53.1 million paid in total. The year with the most claims was 2021, with 329. As of 3 August 2026, 1.9% of homes here had an NFIP policy, and 29.1% of homes in the high-risk flood zone did.

NFIP claims on record1,211
Total paid$53.1 million
Claims with a payment1,023
Homes with NFIP policy1.9%
High-risk zone homes insured29.1%
Residential policies in force1,497

Claims by year of loss

1979: 1319791980: 91981: 11982: 231983: 1519831984: 131985: 11986: 51987: 219871988: 01989: 241990: 1421991: 319911992: 11993: 21994: 11995: 3019951996: 141997: 101998: 51999: 319992000: 102001: 152002: 32003: 2620032004: 92005: 12006: 392007: 220072008: 42009: 562010: 122011: 120112012: 142013: 02014: 12015: 420152016: 62017: 12018: 22019: 020192020: 262021: 3292022: 282023: 120232024: 42025: 2972026: 3329

NFIP claims by year of loss, Whatcom County, Washington

1979: $96,28719791980: $50,3411981: $2821982: $37,9611983: $389,53819831984: $60,3641985: $01986: $25,6321987: $2,15619871988: $01989: $260,8851990: $2.0 million1991: $30,00019911992: $01993: $8,1941994: $01995: $272,69319951996: $107,2771997: $102,3451998: $5,5561999: $2,44319992000: $224,2972001: $210,2062002: $18,8892003: $121,30420032004: $317,2772005: $2,7422006: $720,0332007: $5,66520072008: $1,3262009: $1.6 million2010: $112,2652011: $020112012: $190,4122013: $02014: $02015: $7,05120152016: $25,4562017: $02018: $43,6272019: $020192020: $394,8052021: $22.5 million2022: $925,4202023: $020232024: $556,3762025: $21.6 million2026: $14,405$22.5 million

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

Named flood events with the most claims

Event (FEMA name)Claims
2025-12-AtmosphericRiver296
Flooding164
Torrential rain11
Winter storm1

ZIP codes with the most claims

ZIP code (as reported)Claims
98295348
98247294
98248166
9822671
9827670
9826449
9823045
9824429
9822026
9828125

980 of the claims were on properties rated in a high-risk flood zone (zones starting A or V). Building $49.2 million, contents $3.9 million, increased cost of compliance $96,862.

Flood insurance take-up

HomesWith NFIP policyShare
High-risk flood zone4,0111,16929.1%
All homes79,3811,4971.9%

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.