Buying a home on the coast

On a $300,000 house near the beach, a 5% hurricane deductible is $15,000 out of your pocket before insurance pays anything. On the coast, insurance often decides whether a house is affordable at all. Here’s the order to check one in.

First, how often does the street flood now?

Not from storms, from tides. NOAA expects a record 7 to 12 days of high-tide flooding nationally between May 2026 and April 2027. By 2050 it projects 55 to 85 days a year. Ask neighbors whether the street floods at the highest tides of the year.

The sea level rise layer hides areas projected to be affected within a chosen number of years, starting at 50.

Next, the flood zone

Along the open coast, FEMA’s V zones mark the land hit by storm waves, not just rising water. Building and insurance rules are strictest there. Our guide to reading a FEMA flood map explains the zone letters.

Water is the real danger in a hurricane. A study of U.S. Atlantic hurricanes from 1963 to 2012 found storm surge caused almost half the deaths, and water of all kinds roughly 90%. Even well inland, the high-risk zones follow the bayous and creeks. The flood layer drops FEMA’s high-risk zones.

Then, the hurricane deductible

Coastal homeowners policies usually carry a separate hurricane deductible of 1% to 5% of the home’s insured value. Ask for the deductible, not just the premium. The hurricane layer skips the coastal areas most exposed.

If private insurers won’t cover wind, states have backstops. Texas has the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association for its coastal counties, which requires a denial from a private insurer first. As of 2026, Florida’s Citizens takes a home only when private offers cost more than 20% above its own price.

Finally, flood insurance

Federal flood insurance covers up to $250,000 for the building and $100,000 for its contents. An expensive coastal home may need private coverage on top. Congress has to keep reauthorizing the federal program, and it lapsed twice, in 2025 and early 2026. As of October 2026 it was authorized only to December 11, so check that it’s in force the week you close. Our guide to finding a home you can still insure covers quotes and timing.

To start the search, apply sea level rise, hurricane and flood risk together. What’s left is worth a closer look.