How Much Is Flood Insurance in Illinois? Average Flood Insurance Cost and Coverage


Updated: October 3, 2024

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Flood insurance rates in Illinois will depend on county and individual risk factors, such as the structure of your home, your elevation, replacement and repair costs, frequency of flooding and more.

Note that renters or homeowners insurance policies typically don’t cover damages from flooding caused by natural phenomena. And according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), just an inch of water can cost up to $25,000.

Illinois has multiple high-risk flood zones — checking a local flood map can tell you if your household is in one. Even if you live in a low-risk flood zone in Illinois, consider purchasing flood insurance to help you avoid the high costs of flood-related damage.

Flood insurance premiums can vary per county, depending on the frequency of flooding events.

With private insurance companies, you can add an excess policy if your base policy doesn’t provide sufficient coverage.

Flood insurance covers personal items like artwork, electronics, furniture and more.

Average Cost of Flood Insurance in Illinois

The average cost of flood insurance in Illinois is $1,105 per year. However, rates can vary widely depending on your proximity to a flood zone and individual property risks. Naturally, those living in flood-prone areas tend to pay higher premiums.

Average Cost of Flood Insurance by County in Illinois

Compared to the national average for flood insurance, average rates in Illinois are approximately $337 more expensive. This might be because Illinois has more high-risk flood zones than some other states.

MoneyGeek found that Ford County has the cheapest premiums in Illinois at $356 per year, whereas Menard County has the priciest rates at $4,179 per year. Below is a table of each Illinois county's average flood insurance rates.

Illinois Flood Insurance Cost Per County
ADAMS COUNTYAverage Cost$1,116
ALEXANDER COUNTYAverage Cost$1,043
BOND COUNTYAverage Cost$867
BOONE COUNTYAverage Cost$907
BROWN COUNTYAverage Cost$927
BUREAU COUNTYAverage Cost$1,605
CALHOUN COUNTYAverage Cost$708
CARROLL COUNTYAverage Cost$1,601
CASS COUNTYAverage Cost$755
CHAMPAIGN COUNTYAverage Cost$841
CHRISTIAN COUNTYAverage Cost$1,302
CLARK COUNTYAverage Cost$790
CLAY COUNTYAverage Cost$823
CLINTON COUNTYAverage Cost$811
COLES COUNTYAverage Cost$932
COOK COUNTYAverage Cost$1,066
CRAWFORD COUNTYAverage Cost$838
CUMBERLAND COUNTYAverage Cost$566
DEKALB COUNTYAverage Cost$1,619
DE WITT COUNTYAverage Cost$1,274
DOUGLAS COUNTYAverage Cost$1,085
DUPAGE COUNTYAverage Cost$902
EDGAR COUNTYAverage Cost$462
EFFINGHAM COUNTYAverage Cost$1,451
FAYETTE COUNTYAverage Cost$540
FORD COUNTYAverage Cost$356
FRANKLIN COUNTYAverage Cost$753
FULTON COUNTYAverage Cost$714
GALLATIN COUNTYAverage Cost$930
GREENE COUNTYAverage Cost$1,312
GRUNDY COUNTYAverage Cost$1,486
HANCOCK COUNTYAverage Cost$2,061
HARDIN COUNTYAverage Cost$1,663
HENDERSON COUNTYAverage Cost$1,276
HENRY COUNTYAverage Cost$1,342
IROQUOIS COUNTYAverage Cost$888
JACKSON COUNTYAverage Cost$1,111
JASPER COUNTYAverage Cost$456
JEFFERSON COUNTYAverage Cost$1,035
JERSEY COUNTYAverage Cost$1,427
JO DAVIESS COUNTYAverage Cost$881
JOHNSON COUNTYAverage Cost$631
KANE COUNTYAverage Cost$1,111
KANKAKEE COUNTYAverage Cost$1,446
KENDALL COUNTYAverage Cost$1,001
KNOX COUNTYAverage Cost$919
LAKE COUNTYAverage Cost$1,234
LA SALLE COUNTYAverage Cost$1,091
LAWRENCE COUNTYAverage Cost$848
LEE COUNTYAverage Cost$1,118
LIVINGSTON COUNTYAverage Cost$1,146
LOGAN COUNTYAverage Cost$1,265
MACON COUNTYAverage Cost$976
MACOUPIN COUNTYAverage Cost$680
MADISON COUNTYAverage Cost$1,137
MARION COUNTYAverage Cost$983
MARSHALL COUNTYAverage Cost$1,113
MASON COUNTYAverage Cost$674
MASSAC COUNTYAverage Cost$878
MCDONOUGH COUNTYAverage Cost$544
MCHENRY COUNTYAverage Cost$1,406
MCLEAN COUNTYAverage Cost$1,005
MENARD COUNTYAverage Cost$4,179
MERCER COUNTYAverage Cost$1,629
MONROE COUNTYAverage Cost$1,461
MONTGOMERY COUNTYAverage Cost$634
MORGAN COUNTYAverage Cost$856
MOULTRIE COUNTYAverage Cost$1,107
OGLE COUNTYAverage Cost$1,228
PEORIA COUNTYAverage Cost$1,254
PERRY COUNTYAverage Cost$756
PIATT COUNTYAverage Cost$1,172
PIKE COUNTYAverage Cost$539
PULASKI COUNTYAverage Cost$807
PUTNAM COUNTYAverage Cost$1,924
RANDOLPH COUNTYAverage Cost$799
RICHLAND COUNTYAverage Cost$718
ROCK ISLAND COUNTYAverage Cost$1,241
SALINE COUNTYAverage Cost$1,132
SANGAMON COUNTYAverage Cost$1,016
SCHUYLER COUNTYAverage Cost$543
SCOTT COUNTYAverage Cost$2,657
SHELBY COUNTYAverage Cost$2,606
STARK COUNTYAverage Cost$914
ST. CLAIR COUNTYAverage Cost$1,010
STEPHENSON COUNTYAverage Cost$1,111
TAZEWELL COUNTYAverage Cost$1,524
UNION COUNTYAverage Cost$1,116
VERMILION COUNTYAverage Cost$837
WABASH COUNTYAverage Cost$463
WARREN COUNTYAverage Cost$1,045
WASHINGTON COUNTYAverage Cost$1,431
WAYNE COUNTYAverage Cost$1,159
WHITE COUNTYAverage Cost$901
WHITESIDE COUNTYAverage Cost$927
WILL COUNTYAverage Cost$1,260
WILLIAMSON COUNTYAverage Cost$1,011
WINNEBAGO COUNTYAverage Cost$1,463
WOODFORD COUNTYAverage Cost$1,192

Companies That Offer Flood Insurance in Illinois

Illinois residents can purchase flood insurance from the NFIP or a private company. Private insurance carriers have a base policy (similar to the NFIP coverage) or an excess policy (supplemental coverage for a base policy).

Opting for a private provider is ideal for households not sufficiently covered by an NFIP policy or those living outside an NFIP community.

Private Flood Insurance Providers in IL and Their Contact Numbers
Company
Contact

Neptune Flood

727-202-4815

Aon Private Flood

888-281-0684

Hiscox - FloodPlus

866-283-7545

FloodSimple Insurance Services

844-803-8788

Chubb

866-324-8222

The NFIP also has partner insurance companies in Illinois that offer flood coverage. For your convenience, MoneyGeek compiled a list of NFIP-participating insurance companies and their respective contact numbers.

NFIP-Participating Flood Insurance Providers in State and Their Contact Numbers
Company
Contact

Allstate Insurance Company

(800) 527-2634

American Family Mutual Ins. Co

(800) 692-6326

American Nat. Prop. & Casualty

(417) 887-4990

American Strategic Ins. Corp.

(866) 274-8765

Assurant

(800) 423-4403

Auto Owners Insurance Co.

Refer to the Agent locator

Farmers Insurance Group

(866) 865-2965

Hartford Fire Insurance Co.

(860) 547-7440

How to Purchase Flood Insurance and Its Coverage Requirements

It's usually easy to purchase flood insurance in Illinois since no additional coverage requirements exist. Call the NFIP hotline at 877-336-2627 or your home insurance agent to get started.

Because the NFIP has a 30-day waiting period, MoneyGeek recommends purchasing your flood insurance policy at your earliest convenience. On the other hand, many private insurance providers have a waiting period of 10 days or more. Call your insurance agent to be sure.

What Does Flood Insurance Cover in Illinois?

Standard flood insurance protects against damages to your building and even its contents. Remember that you could face $25,000 in flood damages for just one inch of water in your home.

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Please note that flood insurance covers damages created by the weather disaster, not flooding due to unnatural water damage like leaky appliances or burst pipes.

Basic flood insurance only covers personal belongings and damage to the structure of your building. It doesn’t extend coverage for vehicle flooding, decks, documents, swimming pools or landscaping.

Flood Insurance Building Coverage

Building coverage is one part of your standard flood insurance policy. This covers damages to the physical structure of your home, including:

  • Foundation walls
  • Electrical systems
  • Plumbing systems
  • Furnaces, central heating and air conditioning
  • Built-in appliances
  • Permanent carpets
  • Built-in furniture

With a policy from the NFIP, buyers can purchase up to $250,000 in building coverage.

Flood Insurance Contents Coverage

On the other hand, contents coverage is the part of flood insurance that protects your items, like:

  • Clothing
  • Furniture
  • Electronic equipment
  • Washers and dryers

NFIP policyholders can get contents coverage up to $100,000.

Factors That Affect Flood Insurance Costs in Illinois

Insurance providers formerly used location alone to calculate the cost of flood insurance. FEMA has interactive maps where you can view the flood risk of U.S. counties per state.

According to FEMA’s Illinois data on flooding events since 1996, Alexander County has had the most (187). By contrast, Stark County has had the least (20). The average annual cost of flood insurance in these counties is $1,043 and $914, respectively.

Risk Rating 2.0

In October 2021, FEMA introduced a new risk rating system (Risk Rating 2.0). This system evaluates individual property risks — including foundation type, the structure of the building, elevation, replacement and repair costs, and frequency of flooding — in addition to flood zone mapping.

Compared to the older system, Risk Rating 2.0 provides a more tailored premium computation. However, where you live still significantly impacts your flood insurance rate. MoneyGeek breaks down some of these flood insurance cost factors below.

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    Flood Risk

    Flood insurance premiums are more expensive in Illinois because of the many flood-prone areas. However, Risk Rating 2.0 assesses individual risk factors, as well. This means that you may get a different rate than your neighbor.

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    Coverage Type

    Your coverage type also affects your rate — purchasing more comprehensive coverage will raise your premium. Coverage will also vary based on your Illinois county.

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    Deductible

    Opting for a higher deductible can make your premiums cheaper, but you’ll be responsible for paying this amount upon filing a claim. These usually range between $1,000 and $10,000.

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    Age of Structure

    The age of your building matters, too. Insurance companies charge higher rates to individuals living in older structures.

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    Structure Design

    Your home’s building materials and structural design also factor into your flood insurance premium.

Do You Need Flood Insurance in Illinois?

Flood insurance is not included in standard homeowners and renters insurance. Because every property is vulnerable to flooding, purchasing flood insurance is a wise investment, even for those who live in low- or moderate-risk areas. Meanwhile, individuals with mortgages who live in high-risk flood zones must buy flood insurance.

Private flood insurance has its advantages. Providers must still pay claims if your home is flooded and there isn't a presidential disaster declaration. A typical federal disaster assistance grant is capped at $5,000 per household. Flood damage costs easily surpass that cap.

Overall, flood insurance offers policyholders an extra layer of protection and peace of mind.

Frequently Asked Questions About Illinois Flood Insurance

Flood insurance can be a daunting topic. MoneyGeek answered the most commonly asked questions below to guide you through the process.

How much is the average cost of flood insurance in Illinois?
Which companies offer flood insurance in Illinois?
What kind of damage does flood insurance cover?
What affects flood insurance rates in Illinois?

About Mark Fitzpatrick


Mark Fitzpatrick headshot

Mark Fitzpatrick is a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer and MoneyGeek's Head of Insurance. He has analyzed the insurance market for over five years, conducting original research and creating personalized content for every kind of buyer. He has been quoted in several insurance-related publications, including CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.

Fitzpatrick earned a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He is passionate about using his knowledge of economics and insurance to bring transparency around financial topics and help others feel confident in their money moves.


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