Flood history · Sarasota, FL 34242
Flood insurance claims in Sarasota, FL 34242
4,460 claims since 1979 and $347.5 million paid. Here's what the public record shows, and how to check a specific address.
Claims by year
Every NFIP flood insurance claim reported in ZIP 34242 since 1978.
What the record says
Almost all claims here (100%) were on properties in high-risk zones (A or V). In those zones, federally regulated lenders require flood insurance.
One event dominates the record: Hurricane Helene accounts for 56% of all claims in this ZIP code.
Flooding here is recent: 3,379 claims (76%) were in the last 10 years.
The most commonly recorded cause is heavy rain or snowmelt collecting faster than it drains, which can happen far from any river or coast.
Sarasota County * takes part in FEMA's Community Rating System (class 5), which can lower flood insurance premiums by up to 25% in high-risk zones.
Biggest flood events
| Event | Year | Claims | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene | 2024 | 2,498 | 56% |
| Hurricane Milton | 2024 | 681 | 15% |
| The 'No-Name Storm' | 1982 | 197 | 4% |
| Unnamed flooding | 1992 | 190 | 4% |
| Hurricane Elena | 1985 | 142 | 3% |
| Hurricane Josephine | 1996 | 104 | 2% |
Flood zone at time of claim
NFIP communities
Federal disaster declarations in Sarasota County
Flood, hurricane and storm declarations since 2000.
29 flood, storm or hurricane declarations for Sarasota County since 2000.
Check a specific address in Sarasota.
ZIP-level history is the backdrop. See the official FEMA flood zone, ground elevation and next steps for one property, free.
Sources: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims (v3) and Disaster Declarations Summaries, FEMA NFIP Community Status Book; place names from GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Data as of 2026-10-09. Payments are net building + contents payments in dollars at the time paid, not adjusted for inflation. Claims are grouped by the ZIP code reported on the claim. This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA. Information only; not an official flood zone determination or insurance advice.