Seattle, WA real-estate risk
Seattle, WA (King County) carries a FEMA National Risk Index score of 99.7/100 — rated "Very High" — driven mainly by earthquake and riverine flood, with roughly $1.7B in expected natural-hazard losses per year (FEMA NRI, 2025).
Hazard scores (0–100)
Expected annual loss
$1.7B/yr
all natural hazards, county-wide
Buildings-only loss
$1.2B/yr
the part that hits owners + insurers
What it means for insurance
Riverine flood is the line to verify — an SFHA designation triggers mandatory NFIP coverage and a hard line-item most pro formas understate.
Seattle risk — FAQ
Is Seattle, WA a high-risk area for real estate?
Seattle scores 99.7/100 on FEMA's National Risk Index — rated "Very High" versus all US counties. Its expected natural-hazard loss is about $1.7B per year.
What is the biggest natural hazard in Seattle?
The highest-rated hazard is earthquake (99.9/100), followed by riverine flood (99.5/100).
How does hazard risk affect property insurance in Seattle?
Riverine flood is the line to verify — an SFHA designation triggers mandatory NFIP coverage and a hard line-item most pro formas understate.
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Source: FEMA National Risk Index (Counties), v1.20 (2026-06-13). Scores are national percentiles (0–100). Insurance commentary is PropHunt's interpretation of the hazard data, not an insurance quote.
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