80487 Wildfire Risk & Insurance (2026)
80487 in Steamboat Springs, CO: wildfire and flood risk, est. insurance $2,510–$4,790/yr, and buyer guidance before you close.
Steamboat Springs, Colorado 80487
Data retrieved: Sep 15, 2026 at 16:11 UTC
Overall Risk
Below the national median (safer than most)
County-level composite
Est. Annual Insurance
$2,510 – $4,790
Directional range
Premium Strain
4.16% of median income
high
Flood Insurance
Not required
Parcel falls outside SFHA
Insurance-first due diligence
What buyers pay for coverage in 80487
- Directional homeowners estimate: $2,510–$4,790/yr before carrier underwriting.
- Composite climate risk ranks below the national median (safer than most) for 80487.
- Shop quotes during inspection — CO market pressure can change carrier appetite by ZIP.
Quick buyer brief
What makes 80487 different
A short, indexable summary for buyers comparing 80487 with nearby options in Steamboat Springs.
80487 ranks below the national median (safer than most) for overall climate risk, with the biggest current drivers being wildfire or flood.
Buyers in this ZIP should budget roughly $2,510 - $4,790/yr for homeowners insurance before carrier-specific adjustments. Flood insurance looks less likely to be mandatory, but parcel checks still matter.
If you are choosing between nearby ZIP codes, compare this page with the state overview and the nearby-ZIP links below before you write an offer.
Insurance Market Context
These scores are county-level composites derived from FEMA National Risk Index. Individual parcels may differ significantly. This is not a property appraisal.
Market Pressure
HIGH
Colorado's admitted-carrier market is contracting. A broker with state-specific experience is strongly recommended.
Admitted Market Share
66%
Carriers exiting at 6.1% YoY in Colorado.
Residual Market
$2,400–$5,200
annual · last-resort
FAIR Plan / Citizens exposure up 95% since 2020.
Premium Strain Index
Insurance is roughly 4.2% of median household income — well above the 2% middle-income affordability benchmark (First Street flags anything above 5% as financially unsustainable).
Premium-to-income ratio. Based on state Department of Insurance filings, average annual premiums in this area range from $2,510 to $4,790. Not an insurance quote. The First Street 12th National Risk Assessment characterizes any ZIP above 5% as financially unsustainable.
Routt County Hazard Breakdown
Scores below are from the federal National Risk Index at the county level, refined with parcel-level signals where available (FEMA NFHL for flood, USDA WHP for wildfire, USGS PGA for earthquake, NWS for heat).
Data pending
Hurricane
Low riskAround the national median
Earthquake
ModerateData pending
Extreme Heat
Low riskAround the national median
Flood
ModerateAbove the national median (top 22% most at-risk)
Wildfire
HighBottom 20% nationally (safer than most)
Severe Storm / Tornado
MinimalLocal Flood Risk Cost Estimator
Flood insurance costs in Steamboat Springs, CO
In Steamboat Springs, CO, the directional annual NFIP flood insurance premium is approximately $1,106 (range $600–$1,493), and the estimated average historical flood claim in Routt is $56,576. Typical mapped exposure aligns with Zone X (moderate / 500-year) (county flood percentile: 58).
- NFIP premium (mid)
- $1,106/yr
- Monthly escrow slice
- $50–$124/mo
- Avg. paid claim
- $56,576
- Lender may require
- Often optional
Earthquake Insurance ROI Estimator
CEA-style earthquake coverage math in Steamboat Springs, CO
In Steamboat Springs, CO, directional earthquake coverage runs about $2,055/yr with a $112,500 deductible exposure (earthquake percentile: 55). Over 30 years, modeled premium spend is $61,650 vs. $16,894 illustrative expected loss.
Borderline — model expected loss near 30-year premium cost.
- Est. annual premium
- $2,055/yr
- Deductible
- $112,500
- 30-yr premium vs loss
- $61,650 / $16,894
Wildfire & FAIR Plan Stress Test
Wildfire insurance non-renewal risk in Steamboat Springs, CO
In Steamboat Springs, CO, admitted-carrier withdrawal could push coverage through state FAIR / residual market at roughly $9,490/yr — about +$5,840/yr vs. a $3,650 baseline (wildfire percentile: 78).
Non-renewal risk: severe
- Baseline premium
- $3,650/yr
- Residual market est.
- $9,490/yr
- Annual uplift
- +$5,840/yr
What each hazard means for you
Expand any card to see the federal source citation and the buyer-specific action items our research team recommends for this hazard profile.
Hurricane Risk
NRI inland hurricane / tropical-storm remnant risk: Bottom 20% nationally (safer than most) for inland wind and rain exposure (county-level, based on historical tropical cyclone tracks). Storm surge does not apply at this inland location.
FEMA · National Risk Index (HRCN)
Earthquake Risk
Around the national median for earthquake exposure. USGS PGA: 0.353g (site class D). NRI county percentile: Around the national median.
USGS · Design Maps (ASCE 7-16) + NRI
Extreme Heat
Long-term heat risk: Bottom 20% nationally (safer than most) (NRI county baseline). This reflects multi-decadal extreme-heat exposure, not the current week's weather.
NOAA · National Risk Index (HWAV)
Flood Risk
County NRI flood risk: Around the national median for flood exposure. NFHL parcel query unavailable.
FEMA · National Risk Index
Wildfire Risk
Blended wildfire risk: Above the national median (top 22% most at-risk). USDA Wildfire Hazard Potential at parcel: High (Class 4/5). County NRI wildfire risk: Top 19% most at-risk nationally. The parcel-level USDA score moderates the county NRI signal.
USDA · WHP + National Risk Index
Severe Storm / Tornado
NRI severe-storm risk: Bottom 20% nationally (safer than most) for severe-thunderstorm, hail, straight-line wind, and tornado exposure (county-level).
FEMA · National Risk Index (TRND)
FEMA Flood Zone
Is this specific parcel in a Special Flood Hazard Area?
The free address snapshot queries FEMA NFHL point-in-polygon and returns your exact FEMA Flood Zone (A, AE, X, etc.) in seconds.
Run a free address lookupCarrier Outlook
Colorado's admitted-carrier market is contracting. A broker with state-specific experience is strongly recommended.
Data Sources
Data Sources & Methodology
FEMA— National Risk Index
Retrieved September 15, 2026
FEMA— National Risk Index (HRCN)
Retrieved September 15, 2026
USDA— WHP + National Risk Index
Retrieved September 15, 2026
USGS— Design Maps (ASCE 7-16) + NRI
Retrieved September 15, 2026
NOAA— National Risk Index (HWAV)
Retrieved September 15, 2026
FEMA— National Risk Index (TRND)
Retrieved September 15, 2026
What buyers should know
Buying in 80487: a risk primer
Before you write an offer on a home in Steamboat Springs, understand how climate and insurance costs affect long-term ownership in 80487.
80487 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, scores below the national median (safer than most) on our composite climate-risk index. That ranking reflects the combined influence of wildfire exposure (78), flood risk (58), and earthquake shaking risk (55) in this ZIP code. Before writing an offer, buyers should understand which hazard drives the score and how it shows up in insurance premiums and long-term maintenance costs.
The data below is assembled from five federal sources — FEMA (flood and National Risk Index), NOAA (storm history and heat), USGS (seismic design), and USDA (wildfire hazard potential) — and is refreshed quarterly. Use it as a starting point for due diligence, not a substitute for a licensed inspector, structural engineer, or insurance agent.
Wildfire risk in 80487
The wildfire exposure score for 80487 is 78 (high), which is above the national median. 80487 sits in or adjacent to a high wildfire hazard zone. In Colorado, this affects both insurance availability and utility-side public safety power shutoff (PSPS) risk. Buyers should confirm the parcel's defensible space, roof class, and whether the neighborhood has a FireWise USA designation.
For a specific address inside 80487, this score can shift meaningfully. A home on a ridge may have lower flood exposure than one in a valley; a parcel surrounded by irrigated lawn may have lower wildfire exposure than one against open space. The $19 Risk Before Buy report resolves these parcel-level differences and includes a 30-year projection for each hazard.
Flood risk in 80487
The flood risk score for 80487 is 58 (moderate), which is around or slightly above the national median. Parts of 80487 carry moderate flood exposure driven by rainfall-driven ponding or nearby creek flooding. Even outside the SFHA, lenders do not require flood insurance unless the parcel is mapped in Zone A/AE, but we still recommend a flood quote before closing.
For a specific address inside 80487, this score can shift meaningfully. A home on a ridge may have lower flood exposure than one in a valley; a parcel surrounded by irrigated lawn may have lower wildfire exposure than one against open space. The $19 Risk Before Buy report resolves these parcel-level differences and includes a 30-year projection for each hazard.
Earthquake risk in 80487
The earthquake shaking risk score for 80487 is 55 (moderate), which is around or slightly above the national median. 80487 has moderate earthquake exposure. Most homeowners policies exclude earthquake damage here, so buyers should price a standalone earthquake policy or rider and verify whether the home is bolted to the foundation and has a cripple-wall retrofit.
For a specific address inside 80487, this score can shift meaningfully. A home on a ridge may have lower flood exposure than one in a valley; a parcel surrounded by irrigated lawn may have lower wildfire exposure than one against open space. The $19 Risk Before Buy report resolves these parcel-level differences and includes a 30-year projection for each hazard.
Insurance is where climate risk becomes a monthly payment. In 80487, our directional estimate for a standard homeowners policy plus required hazard coverage is $2,510 – $4,790 per year. That estimate assumes a mid-range home and does not include optional coverages such as earthquake, flood (where not required), or higher wind deductibles.
Relative to local incomes, that premium range equals approximately 4.16% of the Routt County median household income — a high premium-to-income burden. As a rule of thumb, premiums above 3–4% of household income begin to compress affordability and can reduce the pool of future buyers when you eventually sell.
Buyer action items
- Get carrier quotes early. Ask at least two admitted-market carriers and one surplus-line broker for a homeowners quote that explicitly includes wildfire exposure, flood risk, and earthquake shaking risk. Do this before the inspection contingency expires.
- Add a climate contingency to the purchase agreement. Our free Colorado-specific contract templates let you make the deal contingent on acceptable insurance premiums, flood-zone status, or seller-provided mitigation documentation.
- Order hazard-specific inspections if the top risks warrant it. In 80487, that may mean a flood-zone determination, a wildfire/defensible-space assessment, a structural/seismic review, or a wind-mitigation inspection depending on which hazards score highest.
Frequently asked questions about 80487
Ready to underwrite 80487?
Get the full address-level report
Both tiers use verified federal data. The $19 snapshot is your pre-offer feasibility check (delivered within 5 minutes). The $99 audit adds parcel flood verification, market context, claim history, and a negotiation brief (within 24 hours).
Full Report
Tier L2
Address-level hazard and insurance feasibility snapshot — five hazards, 30-year projections, carrier pressure signals, and a buy / negotiate / walk-away read for pre-offer buyers. PDF delivered within 5 minutes.
- Five-hazard score breakdown: flood, wildfire, hurricane, earthquake, heat
- 30-year federal climate projections for heat, wildfire, and sea level rise
- Insurance premium estimate range based on state DOI filings
- Clear buy / negotiate / walk-away recommendation with plain-language reasoning
- Comparable lower-risk communities within 25 miles (up to 3 when available)
- Plain-English explanations of SFHA, BFE, residual market, and other insurance terms
- Single PDF you can share with your partner, agent, or inspector
Best for: pre-offer sanity check
Delivered: PDF by email within 5 minutes
Federal data: FEMA, USGS, NOAA, USDA, EPA
Delivered by email within 5 minutes of payment.
Pre-Purchase Audit
Tier L3
Under-contract diligence package: parcel flood zone verification, state insurance market analysis, NOAA claim history, and an evidence-backed negotiation brief to assess earnest-money risk. PDF delivered within 24 hours.
- Everything in the $19 Full Report
- Parcel-level FEMA flood zone verification (Zone A/AE/VE/X — point-in-polygon)
- State insurance market analysis: admitted carrier share, exit rate, residual market growth
- Premium Strain Index — insurance cost as % of local median income, with 2% / 5% affordability benchmarks
- 10-year NOAA Storm Events claim history for the ZIP code
- Negotiation leverage brief with specific, evidence-backed seller-concession asks (typically 3–5; fewer when data is limited)
- Total carrying cost estimate: HO-3 baseline + standalone perils + residual market fallback
- Identifies whether the property may become hard to insure before you close
- Gives you specific talking points for price, credits, and contingency negotiation
Best for: under-contract buyers
Delivered: PDF by email within 24 hours
Includes: 7-day no-questions-asked refund
Delivered by email within 24 hours of payment.
Nearby ZIP risk profiles in Routt
Compare climate and insurance risk across neighboring ZIP codes before you commit to a specific address in Steamboat Springs.
Explore 80487 in context
Indexable hub links for buyers comparing 80487 with the wider Steamboat Springs market and Colorado insurance trends.
Colorado climate risk overview
State-wide hazard patterns and insurance context for buyers near Steamboat Springs, CO.
Colorado buyer guides
State-wide insurance market pressure and regional hazard patterns.
High-risk area buyer checklist
Questions to ask before writing an offer in 80487.
Free contract templates for Colorado buyers
Download free climate-risk contingency addendums written for Colorado purchase agreements. Add wildfire, flood, or earthquake contingencies to your offer.
Browse free templates