Hurricane Helene produced 54,658 flood insurance claims in Florida and $6.46 billion in payments. The median paid claim was $102,392.
Around 6.9% of claims filed under this event closed without any payment. That figure excludes records FEMA marks as administrative errors.
Official source figures, as of 14 August 2026. Calculated from National Flood Insurance Program policy records published by FEMA. These are premiums other policyholders paid, not a quote or an offer of coverage.
What the water was
Rainfall accumulation accounted for 42.0% of claims with a recorded cause, and 0.7% of all claims came from properties rated outside the high-risk flood zones.
Where Hurricane Helene hit hardest
| County | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Pinellas County | 23,449 | $3.21 billion |
| Hillsborough County | 7,418 | $876 million |
| Sarasota County | 4,950 | $618 million |
| Manatee County | 5,386 | $556 million |
| Pasco County | 4,260 | $477 million |
| Charlotte County | 2,665 | $201 million |
| Lee County | 2,709 | $195 million |
| Citrus County | 1,673 | $168 million |
Pinellas County absorbed the largest share, with 23,449 claims and $3.21 billion paid.
How this compares
Against the $19.33 billion the NFIP has paid in Florida since 1978, Hurricane Helene represents roughly 33.4% of everything ever paid out in the state. See every event ranked.