46 flood insurance claims·$442,934 paid·1 federal flood & hurricane disasters
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Wabash County, Indiana. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Wabash County experiences an even split of riverine floods and flash floods driven by heavy rainfall and saturated ground. Historical events include prolonged regional flooding in May 2019 following prolonged heavy rain, as well as flash flooding from training thunderstorms in July 2013.
National Flood Insurance Program records show claims across multiple zones, with the highest concentration in high-risk areas. Zone A accounts for 23 claims with an average payout of $12,468 and an average recorded water depth of 15 inches. Zone X accounts for 17 claims with an average payout of $18,678 and an average recorded water depth of 2 inches. Additional claims are distributed across Unknown, Shaded Zone X, and Unshaded Zone X categories.
Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the closest attention to properties situated within Zone A and low-lying areas near tributaries, where historical data indicates deeper average water depths and a higher frequency of insurance claims.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
8% of Wabash County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
25 NFIP claims with a recorded rated flood zone, 1978 to date. The zone is the one FEMA used to rate that policy, which may not match today’s map. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 8 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on claims (zero and implausible values left out); FEMA’s record doesn’t say exactly where each depth was measured. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
The worst year was 2013, with 9 claims and $151,804 paid.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
4 NOAA storm reports from Wabash County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Indiana flood stories →
13 federal disaster declarations since 1999, 1 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Jan 23, 2026 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Feb 14, 2018 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Jan 5, 2014 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | May 30, 2008 |
| Snow | Feb 12, 2007 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Winter Storms And Flooding | Jan 1, 2005 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | May 25, 2004 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
20 since 1996: 10 flash floods and 10 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | May 2, 2019 | — · 1 killed |
| Flood | Jun 16, 2015 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 2, 2013 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 23, 2011 | — |
| Flood | May 14, 2011 | $250,000 |
| Flash Flood | May 14, 2011 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 10, 2011 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 24, 2010 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · May 2, 2019. After a prolonged period of heavy rain in April (rainfall amounts were 150 to 200 percent above normal) widespread flooding was reported throughout much of Northern and Central Indiana. Flood waters had started to recede in the early part of May but many low lying areas and tributaries were high and standing water was reported in many flood prone areas.
Flood · Jun 16, 2015. Several rounds of rainfall brought flooding to many counties during a couple day period. On average, three to five inches of rain fell, often in a few hours. This rainfall occurred over already saturated ground from recent rains over the past couple of weeks. This resulted in an extended period of runoff and flooding issues.
Flash Flood · Jul 2, 2013. An upper low was located over the northern Great Lakes. While no distinct fronts or waves were noted, enough instability and shear was in place across the region to allow for isolated thunderstorm development. The majority of these storms produced brief, heavy rainfall and gusty winds. Isolated wind damage was reported in Jay County with some flash flooding across portions of Wabash counties where storms continued…
Flash Flood · May 23, 2011. A cold front moved through the region, interacting with moderate instability and strong shear. Numerous thunderstorms developed and became severe. A few of the storms took on supercell characteristics and produced brief tornadoes.
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Wabash County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.