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Commercial

Flood Insurance Statistics

Real premium data from actual closed commercial policies — small offices to apartment complexes, daycare facilities to museums. Commercial flood insurance is a fundamentally different product than residential, and this page shows exactly what businesses pay.

Lowest in our book
$350
Per Year
Highest in our book
$103,000
Per Year
Last Updated April 2026 | 9 data tables | 40+ states covered | 8 commercial carriers | Updated quarterly
Cost Overview

Four Tiers of Commercial Flood Insurance

Small Commercial
$350 – $2,500
Per Year
Typical Property
Small offices · retail shops · daycare facilities
Mid-Market
$2,500 – $15,000
Per Year
Typical Property
Restaurants · warehouses · medical offices · theaters
Large Commercial
$15,000 – $50,000
Per Year
Typical Property
Multi-tenant buildings · hotels · industrial facilities
Major Commercial
$50,000 – $103,000+
Per Year
Typical Property
Apartment complexes · museums · large industrial
Real Deals

Actual Commercial Policies We've Placed

Thirteen real commercial policies from our book — every one closed, bound, and paid. Property type only. No customer names, no addresses.

Large Commercial Complex
$103,000/yr
Zone
AE
Carrier
Apartment Complex
$82,693/yr
Zone
AE
Carrier
Wright Flood
Deductible
$0
Museum
$58,297/yr
Zone
AE
Carrier
AMWINS
Deductible
$10,000
Large Commercial Building
$24,500/yr
Zone
AE
Carrier
Sterling
Deductible
$500,000
Commercial Building
$23,243/yr
Zone
AE
Carrier
Assurant
Deductible
$5,000
Apartment Complex
$21,095/yr
Zone
AE
Carrier
Assurant
Deductible
$10,000
Commercial Building
$15,094/yr
Zone
AE
Carrier
NFIP Direct
Deductible
$0
Theater
$12,424/yr
Zone
AE
Carrier
AMWINS
Deductible
$10,000
Investment Property
$7,003/yr
Zone
AE
Carrier
Sterling
Deductible
$1,000
Tourism Property (Mountain)
$5,082/yr
Zone
AE
Carrier
Dual
Deductible
$5,000
Daycare Facility
$2,508/yr
Zone
AE
Carrier
CatCoverage
Deductible
2%
Commercial Building (Slab)
$350/yr
Zone
AE
Carrier
Superior
Deductible
$5,000
Commercial Building (Crawlspace)
$360/yr
Zone
AE
Carrier
Wright Flood
Deductible
$0

Commercial Carrier Comparison

Eight carriers actively writing commercial flood across our book, ranked from widest range to most specialized. Each one has a sweet spot.

Wright Flood

$360 $82,693 /yr

Widest commercial range. NFIP and WYO writing capability. Good fit for wide property variance.

AMWINS

$12,424 $58,297 /yr

Specialty and large commercial. Strong choice for museums, theaters, and complex risks.

Sterling Underwriters

$7,003 $24,500 /yr

Mid to large commercial. Flexible deductible structures up to $500,000 primary layer.

Assurant

$21,095 $23,243 /yr

Large commercial and apartment complexes. Consistent pricing in the mid-tier.

NFIP Direct

Varies $15,094 /yr

Federal backstop when private options aren't available. Capped at $500K building / $500K contents.

Dual

$5,082 $9,981 /yr

Mid-market commercial and high-value properties. Tourism and recreation focus.

CatCoverage

$2,508 /yr

Small commercial with favorable risk profile. Aggressive on properties with good elevation.

Superior

$350 /yr

Small commercial, slab foundation. Our entry-point carrier for the best-priced commercial deals.

Section 04 · Side-by-Side

Commercial vs Residential

Commercial flood insurance is its own product. Different coverage caps, different deductible options, different rating factors. Here's how the two compare directly.

Feature
Commercial
Residential
NFIP Building Coverage Cap
$500,000
$250,000
NFIP Contents Coverage Cap
$500,000
$100,000
Typical Premium Range
$350 – $103,000/yr
$100 – $10,000/yr
Deductible Options
$0 – $500,000+
$1,000 – $10,000
Rating Factors
+ Occupancy · Sq Ft · Value
Elevation · Distance · Foundation
Private Carrier Availability
Varies by property type
Widely available
Loss of Use / Business Income
Available via private
ALE through private
Why It Matters

Commercial properties get 2x the NFIP building coverage and 5x the contents coverage of residential. They also get access to flexible deductible structures that residential policies don't offer — including zero-deductible options and primary-layer structures up to $500,000.

Deductibles

Four Ways Commercial Deductibles Work

Commercial deductibles are far more flexible than residential. Four distinct structures are available, each with different cash-flow and pricing implications.

Structure 01
Fixed Dollar
A set amount you pay first before coverage kicks in. The most familiar structure for any business owner who's ever filed an insurance claim.
Example
$5,000 or $10,000 deductible per claim.
Structure 02
Percentage
A percentage of total building value. Common on mid-to-large commercial where the absolute dollar deductible scales with property size.
Example
2% of $500,000 building value = $10,000 deductible.
Structure 03
Primary Layer
A first layer of coverage you self-insure before the excess policy kicks in. Used on large commercial where excess coverage stacks above NFIP limits.
Example
$500,000 primary layer before excess starts paying.
Structure 04
Zero Deductible
No out-of-pocket before coverage starts. First-dollar coverage is available on smaller commercial properties through select carriers.
Example
$360/yr crawlspace commercial through Wright Flood with $0 deductible.
Foundation

Foundation Type Impact on Commercial Premiums

Foundation type drives commercial pricing the same way it drives residential — but the dollar gap widens dramatically as building value increases.

🏢
Slab
Lowest Cost

Most new commercial construction uses slab foundations. Water flows around the structure with minimal below-grade exposure.

🏚️
Crawlspace
Moderate Cost

Common in older commercial buildings, especially in flood-prone areas. Some below-grade exposure from utilities and ductwork.

🏛️
Basement
Highest Cost

Significant cost driver, especially near water. Below-grade space exposes HVAC, electrical, mechanical, and stored inventory.

From Our Book

A slab commercial building in Augusta pays $350/yr while a crawlspace commercial building in the same city pays $360/yr. The gap is small for smaller buildings but widens significantly as building value increases.

Commercial Property Types We Insure

From our commercial book, we have placed policies for every kind of business property:

Apartment Complexes Multi-Family Buildings Retail & Office Restaurants Hospitality Museums Cultural Institutions Theaters Daycare Facilities Educational Warehouses Industrial Buildings Investment / Rental Medical Offices Tourism & Recreation
Section 07 · Industry Stats

Key Commercial Industry Statistics

The numbers every business owner, landlord, and investor should know before choosing a commercial flood policy.

NFIP Commercial Building Cap
$500,000
NFIP Commercial Contents Cap
$500,000
Excess Coverage Availability
Above NFIP limits via private
Standard NFIP Waiting Period
30 Days
Business Income via NFIP
Not Available
Business Income via Private
Available, select carriers
Lowest Commercial Premium
$350/yr Slab AE
Highest Commercial Premium
$103,000/yr Large Complex
Business Income Note

If your business depends on continuous operations, NFIP commercial policies do not include business income coverage. Only private flood carriers offer this protection. For restaurants, retail, hospitality, and any business where downtime equals lost revenue, this is often the deciding factor in choosing private over NFIP.

About the Author

Chris Greene

Founder & Agency Owner · The Flood Insurance Guru

 

Data compiled and analyzed by Chris Greene, founder of The Flood Insurance Guru. Master's degree in Emergency Management. 12,000+ flood insurance policies placed nationwide. Recognized as one of the leading flood insurance specialists in the United States, with 5,000+ flood education videos produced and an active client base across all 50 states.

Chris

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