Flood Protection and Insurance

The City of Coral Gables is particularly susceptible to flooding, it is therefore always important to be aware of the risks and prepared for potential floods.

Flood Insurance Rate Maps are available online.

Flood Protection

Because the City of Coral Gables is located in a unique geographical area, it is particularly susceptible to flooding from major rain events and storm surges. The city is surrounded by major bodies of water such as the Atlantic Ocean, Biscayne Bay, Miami River, lakes and canals.

The city lies close to sea level and its underground water supply is just below the ground surface. Therefore, major rain events sometimes leave rainwater nowhere to drain causing occasional flooding in the low areas.

For more information on flood protection and related topics at the national level, please visit FEMA.

Flood and Drainage Complaints

To submit a flood or drainage complaint, Request a Service via our city's web portal or call 305-460-5000 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Flood Insurance

Did you know that flooding is one of the most common and costly disasters homeowners face every year? Did you know that standard hazard insurance on properties does not cover flood damage? Did you know that flood insurance is required for all federally regulated mortgages in flood zones? Flood insurance is important coverage to have! Even if your home is not in a high flood zone, you should consider getting flood insurance. You can obtain flood insurance through a private insurance plan or National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Since April 1, 2022 flood insurance premiums are assessed using Risk Rating 2.0. FEMA’s Risk Rating 2.0 considers specific characteristics of a building such as the where, how and what – to provide a more modern, individualized, and equitable flood insurance premium based on a property’s individual risk.

Flood Insurance premiums are calculated based on factors such as:

Risk Rating 2.0 calculates your premium based on the following factors:

  • Flood frequency 
  • Multiple flood types — river overflow, storm surge, coastal erosion, and heavy rainfall
  • Proximity to flood sources -coast, ocean, rivers, canals, and lakes
  • Building characteristics, such as First Floor Height and the cost to rebuild
  • Individual policies cannot increase by more than 18% annually

When purchasing flood insurance, the policy will not take effect until 30 days after purchase, so plan ahead! For more information please visit the FEMA flood insurance page or FloodSmart

Flood Elevation Certificates tell you how high your house was built in relation to a flood zone. These certificates are required for all new construction and substantial improvements to a structure.

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