What drives the risk for expensive homes in Vermont
- Catastrophe exposureFlooding is Vermont's most damaging recent catastrophe. On July 10-11, 2023, 3 to 9 inches of rain fell across the state in 48 hours (9.20 inches in Calais), Montpelier set a calendar-day rainfall record of 5.28 inches, and damage rivaled, and in places exceeded, Tropical Storm Irene in 2011. Only the November 1927 flood had a greater impact in the past century. Source
- FloodExactly one year after the 2023 flood, the remnants of Beryl brought 3 to 5 inches of rain on July 10-11, 2024, locally more than 7 inches (7.1 in Walden), and catastrophic flash flooding in Plainfield, Barnet and Peacham. Flood is excluded from homeowners policies, and NFIP building coverage stops at $250,000, so expensive homes near rivers and mountain brooks usually need private or excess flood coverage. Source
Vermont by the numbers
| Measure | Vermont | Rank among the states | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal major disaster declarations since 2000 | 37 | #19 of 51 | Most often for severe storm (25), flood (9), severe ice storm (2). Lamoille County has been in 22 of them. |
| National Flood Insurance Program claims, 2005–2025 | 2,797 | #30 of 51 | $111.9 million paid; 21% of claims with a known flood zone were outside FEMA’s high-risk zones. |
| Hail reports, 2016–2025 | 92 | #44 of 51 | 0 of them 2 inches or larger. Largest stone 1.75 inches, Caledonia County, July 2016. |
| Tornadoes, 2016–2025 | 5 | #48 of 51 | 0 rated EF2 or stronger; 50 recorded since 1950. |
| Earthquakes of magnitude 4.0+, 2000–2025 | 0 | — | None of magnitude 4.0 or greater recorded in or near the state. |
From the public FEMA, NOAA, Storm Prediction Center, USGS and FMCSA records behind each linked report; ranks count all 50 states and Washington, DC unless noted.
When the standard market says no, and what earns credits
- Insurer of last resort and wind poolsVermont has no FAIR Plan: it does not appear among the states in the fiscal 2024 FAIR Plan data compiled by the Property Insurance Plans Service Office (PIPSO) and published by Triple-I. With no state insurer of last resort for homes, a house the standard market declines is generally placed with a surplus lines insurer. Source
- Mitigation credits and programsVermont's Flood Safety Act (Act 121 of 2024) directs the Department of Environmental Conservation to regulate building in mapped river corridors. As enacted, a state permit is required for development in a river corridor beginning January 1, 2028, and on that date state flood hazard area standards become the minimum for Vermont communities. Source
Worth knowing in Vermont
Vermont's flood insurance market is unusually mixed: a 2023 data call by the Department of Financial Regulation counted 3,534 NFIP policies, 2,676 private flood policies and 299 excess flood policies in the state. The federal disaster declaration for the July 2024 flooding covered seven counties, including Lamoille (Stowe), Chittenden and Washington. Source
Where high-value homes are in Vermont
Stowe · Woodstock · Manchester · Shelburne · Burlington · Dorset
Common questions
Where can an expensive home in Vermont get coverage if insurers decline it?
Vermont has no FAIR Plan: it does not appear among the states in the fiscal 2024 FAIR Plan data compiled by the Property Insurance Plans Service Office (PIPSO) and published by Triple-I. With no state insurer of last resort for homes, a house the standard market declines is generally placed with a surplus lines insurer.
Is flood insurance enough for a high-value home in Vermont?
Exactly one year after the 2023 flood, the remnants of Beryl brought 3 to 5 inches of rain on July 10-11, 2024, locally more than 7 inches (7.1 in Walden), and catastrophic flash flooding in Plainfield, Barnet and Peacham. Flood is excluded from homeowners policies, and NFIP building coverage stops at $250,000, so expensive homes near rivers and mountain brooks usually need private or excess flood coverage.
Sources
- Vermont: Catastrophe exposure
- Vermont: Insurer of last resort and wind pools
- Vermont: Mitigation credits and programs
- Vermont: Flood
- Vermont: Also worth knowing
General information as of October 2026, not legal advice; confirm current rules with the agency.