Written by Dan Marticio
Dan Marticio is the content manager at SmartFinancial and has written 150+ articles across multiple insurance verticals.
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Updated May 13, 2022Expert Reviewed
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Zone B is a low-risk flood zone with a 0.2% (one in 500) chance of experiencing a flood in a given year. On newer maps, Zone B has been replaced with Zone X. There are no federal laws requiring homes located in Zone B to purchase flood insurance, but the extra coverage may still be worth it. Find out why below.
Flood Zone B is an area designation on a flood insurance rate map with a 0.2% chance of flooding from severe storm activity or local drainage problems. Also called a 500-year flood zone, Zone B has a one in 500 chance of being flooded in a given year. Zone X has replaced Zone B on newly revised flood maps.
There is no federal requirement for purchasing flood insurance if your home is located in Zone B.
While there are no mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements in Zone B, you may still want to buy flood coverage just to be safe. Flood insurance policies can be purchased from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). NFIP policies offer up to $250,000 of building coverage (your home's structure) and $100,000 of personal property coverage (e.g., furniture, electronics, clothes) for a single-family dwelling.
Flood insurance is also purchasable in the private marketplace, which may carry certain advantages, such as:
There is no federal requirement to purchase flood insurance if you live in Zone B. However, you may still want to consider flood insurance anyway.
Zone B is a low-risk flood zone with a 0.2% (one in 500) chance of experiencing a flood in a given year.
While Zone B has minimal flood hazards, the flood risk is only reduced, not eliminated. Just one inch of floodwater can cause up to $25,000 in damages according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage and you may have to face these costs yourself if you do not have flood insurance.
The Flood Map Service Center (MSC) has online flood maps where you can enter your address to find out information about FEMA flood zone designations in your area.
Risking Rating 2.0, implemented in 2021, is the new methodology for calculating NFIP flood policy premiums. The new rating system no longer considers flood zones. Instead, the following factors carry more weight when determining flood insurance rates:
Flood zones are still used to distinguish Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) that would indicate whether homes are federally required to purchase flood insurance if they have a government-backed mortgage.
Find Affordable Homeowners Insurance Rates
The average cost for NFIP policies in Zone B cost is $605.23 per year according to February 2022 data by FEMA. Actual costs will vary by your home's property details, location and more. Since Zone B is a low-risk flood zone, costs are notably lower than high-risk zones, like Zones A and V.
See below how Zone B's lower costs compare to high-risk zones A and V.
