Flood Coverage – Good Good Flood

Flood Insurance Friday: Zillow Removes Climate Risk Data — and Why That Harms Homeowners

In a move that’s sparking serious debate across the real estate world, Zillow recently deleted climate risk data — including flood risk scores — from more than a million property listings after complaints from real estate agents and some homeowners that the risk scores were hurting sales.

What Happened?

In late 2024, Zillow introduced a Climate Risk Score on its listings in partnership with First Street, a climate-risk analytics firm. The tool was designed to show buyers a property’s exposure to several climate threats — including flooding, wildfires, extreme heat, and wind.

The idea was simple: climate risk now moves from the background to a core component of home-buying decisions. Surveys showed a large majority of buyers consider climate risk — especially flood risk — when evaluating properties.

But in 2025, that feature was quietly removed, with Zillow instead replacing the visible data with simple links to the First Street site. The change came after complaints that the risk rankings:

“Appeared arbitrary” or inconsistent, and couldn’t be challenged by homeowners;
Dragged down property values when risks looked high;
Resulted in listings being harder to sell.

Some real estate agents even reported buyers canceling trips just because flood risk scores were visible.

Why This Matters — Beyond Real Estate Sales

This isn’t just about listing clicks or agent commissions.

👉 Climate risk hasn’t gone away simply because the score is no longer shown on Zillow.
Flood zones, rising seas, extreme weather events, and shifting insurance markets are very real — and they affect long-term home value and affordability.

“The risk doesn’t go away; it just moves from a pre-purchase decision into a post-purchase liability,” warned First Street’s CEO. Without upfront information, buyers could move in without understanding potential future losses — then discover later that flood insurance is costly or even unavailable.

For flood insurance professionals and anyone advising buyers, this creates a perfect storm of information asymmetry:

Buyers may feel blindsided after closing when they learn about flood risk from local insurance quotes, not before.
Sellers and agents might continue to underestimate risk until it’s too late.
And entire neighborhoods could see unexpected drops in property values when climate-related disasters hit.

What Smart Buyers and Agents Should Do

Even without visible climate scores on Zillow, informed homebuyers still need to know their flood risk — ideally before making an offer. That means:

📌 Checking FEMA flood maps and local risk data for properties of interest.

📌 Talking with an insurance agent early about flood insurance cost and availability — before you fall in love with a home.

📌 Considering long-term environmental and insurance costs as part of the total cost of ownership.

Flood risk isn’t a widget or a score; it’s a measurable exposure that can lead to higher premiums, mandatory mitigation, and even denial of coverage in some zones. When this information is withheld or buried, buyers are the ones who lose.

Flood insurance isn’t loud or flashy — it’s the one that quietly shows up when everything else falls apart. The dependable protection nobody notices until they need it most

If flood insurance were a person, they’d be the most underrated guy in the room. Not flashy. Doesn’t talk much. Never shows up on social media with big claims or loud opinions. But when things go wrong—when the storm hits or the deal’s about to fall apart—everyone suddenly wants to know his name.

That’s flood insurance. Quiet, reliable, and always showing up when others don’t.

The Guy Nobody Notices—Until They Need Him

He’s not the life of the party like your homeowners policy. He doesn’t have the swagger of auto insurance. Nobody brags about him. You won’t see a TV commercial with a talking lizard selling flood coverage.

But when the water starts rising and homes start closing (or not closing), flood insurance is the one who saves the day.

If flood insurance were a person, he’s the guy who helps you move when your back’s out. He’s the one who doesn’t talk about what he’s done—he just gets it done.

The Problem: Everyone Overlooks the Quiet Guy

Here’s the truth: most people only think about flood insurance after a storm or right before a closing.
By that point, it’s panic mode. Lenders are scrambling, buyers are stressed, and agents are chasing paperwork.

But if they’d met this guy earlier—if flood insurance was invited to the conversation from the start—everything would go smoother.
He’s not dramatic. He’s dependable.

That’s the beauty of having a Good Good Flood policy in place before chaos shows up.

What Makes Him Different

If flood insurance were a person, here’s what sets him apart:

He never sleeps on the job.
He doesn’t make excuses about “government shutdowns.”
He shows up same day when you need him to close a deal.
He covers more, costs less, and doesn’t complain.

That’s not a bad friend to have.

So Let’s Give Flood Insurance Some Credit

Flood insurance may never trend online. But when you’re sitting at the closing table, when the storm forecast looks bad, or when FEMA can’t pick up the phone, he’s the one still working.

The quiet ones usually are.

So this Flood Insurance Friday, maybe it’s time to give a little recognition to the most dependable guy nobody talks about.
Because when the rain comes—and it always does—you’ll be glad you got to know him early.