98122 Flood Zone & Insurance Guide (2026)
98122 in Seattle, WA: flood and extreme heat risk, est. insurance $3,589–$6,893/yr, and buyer guidance before you close.
Seattle, Washington 98122, United States
Data retrieved: Jul 30, 2026 at 17:00 UTC
Overall Risk
Top 10% most at-risk nationally
County-level composite
Est. Annual Insurance
$3,589 – $6,893
Directional range
Premium Strain
5.94% of median income
severe
Flood Insurance
Likely required
FEMA NFHL flagged SFHA
Quick buyer brief
What makes 98122 different
A short, indexable summary for buyers comparing 98122 with nearby options in Seattle.
98122 ranks top 10% most at-risk nationally for overall climate risk, with the biggest current drivers being flood or extreme-heat.
Buyers in this ZIP should budget roughly $3,589 - $6,893/yr for homeowners insurance before carrier-specific adjustments. FEMA data suggests some addresses may require flood insurance.
If you are choosing between nearby ZIP codes, compare this page with the city 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
MODERATE
Washington's admitted-carrier market is showing mild contraction. A broker with state-specific experience helps.
Admitted Market Share
80%
Carriers exiting at 2.7% YoY in Washington.
Residual Market
$1,800–$3,600
annual · last-resort
FAIR Plan / Citizens exposure up 14% since 2020.
Premium Strain Index
Insurance is roughly 5.9% of median household income — the First Street 12th National Risk Assessment characterizes 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 $3,589 to $6,893. Not an insurance quote. The First Street 12th National Risk Assessment characterizes any ZIP above 5% as financially unsustainable.
King 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 riskTop 10% most at-risk nationally
Earthquake
ExtremeTop 5% most at-risk nationally
Extreme Heat
ExtremeTop 5% most at-risk nationally
Flood
ExtremeAround the national median
Wildfire
ModerateAbove the national median (top 27% most at-risk)
Severe Storm / Tornado
HighLocal Flood Risk Cost Estimator
Flood insurance costs in Seattle, WA
In Seattle, WA, the directional annual NFIP flood insurance premium is approximately $2,198 (range $1,500–$3,500), and the estimated average historical flood claim in King is $80,028. Typical mapped exposure aligns with Zone A / AE (SFHA) (county flood percentile: 99).
- NFIP premium (mid)
- $2,198/yr
- Monthly escrow slice
- $125–$292/mo
- Avg. paid claim
- $80,028
- Lender may require
- Likely yes (SFHA)
Heat & HVAC Holding-Cost Estimator
Extreme heat carrying costs in Seattle, WA
In Seattle, WA, directional summer utility strain adds roughly $464/yr above a moderate-climate baseline (heat percentile: 98). Over 10 years, modeled hidden heat + HVAC costs land near $14,240 — about $1,424/yr to budget for cooling and accelerated equipment wear.
- Est. monthly electric
- $183/mo
- Annual heat tax
- $464/yr
- 10-yr hidden cost
- $14,240
Earthquake Insurance ROI Estimator
CEA-style earthquake coverage math in Seattle, WA
In Seattle, WA, directional earthquake coverage runs about $2,853/yr with a $112,500 deductible exposure (earthquake percentile: 93). Over 30 years, modeled premium spend is $85,590 vs. $24,161 illustrative expected loss.
Coverage may pencil — expected regional loss exceeds premium spend over 30 years.
- Est. annual premium
- $2,853/yr
- Deductible
- $112,500
- 30-yr premium vs loss
- $85,590 / $24,161
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 hurricane risk: Bottom 20% nationally (safer than most) for hurricane exposure (county-level, based on historical storm tracks and wind-speed exceedance).
FEMA · National Risk Index (HRCN)
Earthquake Risk
Top 10% most at-risk nationally for earthquake exposure. USGS PGA: 0.588g (site class D). NRI county percentile: Top 5% most at-risk nationally.
USGS · Design Maps (ASCE 7-16) + NRI
Extreme Heat
Long-term heat risk: Top 5% most at-risk nationally (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: Top 5% most at-risk nationally for flood exposure. NFHL parcel query unavailable.
FEMA · National Risk Index
Wildfire Risk
Blended wildfire risk: Around the national median. USDA Wildfire Hazard Potential at parcel: Very Low (Class 1/5). County NRI wildfire risk: Above the national median (top 21% most at-risk). The parcel-level USDA score moderates the county NRI signal.
USDA · WHP + National Risk Index
Severe Storm / Tornado
Severe storm / wind risk: Above the national median (top 27% most at-risk). Southern California sees winter storm fronts, straight-line wind, and occasional weak tornadoes, but not the violent tornado climatology of the Great Plains. The high NRI percentile is driven largely by population and property density in Los Angeles County.
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
Washington's admitted-carrier market is showing mild contraction. A broker with state-specific experience helps.
Data Sources
Data Sources & Methodology
FEMA— National Risk Index
Retrieved July 30, 2026
FEMA— National Risk Index (HRCN)
Retrieved July 30, 2026
USDA— WHP + National Risk Index
Retrieved July 30, 2026
USGS— Design Maps (ASCE 7-16) + NRI
Retrieved July 30, 2026
NOAA— National Risk Index (HWAV)
Retrieved July 30, 2026
FEMA— National Risk Index (TRND)
Retrieved July 30, 2026
What buyers should know
Buying in 98122: a risk primer
Before you write an offer on a home in Seattle, understand how climate and insurance costs affect long-term ownership in 98122.
98122 in Seattle, Washington, scores top 10% most at-risk nationally on our composite climate-risk index. That ranking reflects the combined influence of flood risk (99), extreme heat exposure (98), and earthquake shaking risk (93) 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.
Flood risk in 98122
The flood risk score for 98122 is 99 (extreme), which is well above the national median. 98122 maps to a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area or near-SFHA zone in Seattle. With FEMA's Risk Rating 2.0 now pricing policies by parcel-level risk rather than just zone, buyers here should expect flood premiums to rise over the life of ownership. A LOMA (Letter of Map Amendment) may help if the finished floor is clearly above the BFE, but the process takes 60–90 days.
For a specific address inside 98122, 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.
Heat risk in 98122
The extreme heat exposure score for 98122 is 98 (extreme), which is well above the national median. 98122 experiences severe extreme-heat exposure. This translates directly into higher cooling costs, accelerated roof and HVAC wear, and reduced outdoor usability for parts of the year. Buyers should budget for higher-efficiency cooling and check the age of the existing HVAC system.
For a specific address inside 98122, 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 98122
The earthquake shaking risk score for 98122 is 93 (extreme), which is well above the national median. 98122 sits in a seismically active area with high expected shaking (PGA). Standard homeowners insurance does not cover earthquake damage; a separate earthquake policy is required. In Washington, deductibles are typically 10–20% of the dwelling limit, so the policy only matters for catastrophic loss.
For a specific address inside 98122, 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 98122, our directional estimate for a standard homeowners policy plus required hazard coverage is $3,589 – $6,893 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 5.94% of the King County median household income — a severe 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 flood risk, extreme heat exposure, and earthquake shaking risk. Do this before the inspection contingency expires.
- Add a climate contingency to the purchase agreement. Our free Washington-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 98122, 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 98122
Ready to underwrite 98122?
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 King
Compare climate and insurance risk across neighboring ZIP codes before you commit to a specific address in Seattle.
Explore 98122 in context
Indexable hub links for buyers comparing 98122 with the wider Seattle market and Washington insurance trends.
Seattle climate risk overview
City-level hazard scores and insurance context for Seattle, WA.
Washington buyer guides
State-wide insurance market pressure and regional hazard patterns.
Seattle flood insurance costs
County flood percentile, NFIP premium bands, and lender requirements.
High-risk area buyer checklist
Questions to ask before writing an offer in 98122.
Free contract templates for Washington buyers
Download free climate-risk contingency addendums written for Washington purchase agreements. Add flood, extreme-heat, or earthquake contingencies to your offer.
Browse free templates