Natural hazards · Benicia

Benicia, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Benicia comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 1998. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Benicia?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Benicia to be higher than in 77% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes72%Inland flooding25%Everything else3%

By hazard

What Benicia faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Earthquakes

72% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

25% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 43% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtTsunamisVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

HurricanesIce stormsCold wavesAvalanches

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Benicia flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Benicia, from FEMA’s records.

8paid claims since 1998

$932Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19982026

Biggest named events

California Atmospheric River: 2 claims, $305K
Pineapple Express - Southern: 1 claim, $948

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Benicia isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Solano County.

Disasters that hit Benicia

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Benicia itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Benicia.

Brought FEMA money into BeniciaDeclared for Solano County only

2023

Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$1.0M to the City of Benicia for repairs

2020

Wildfires

33 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$34K to the City of Benicia for repairs

2014

Earthquake

19 households applied for aid $9K aid approved $75K to the City of Benicia for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

25 households applied for aid $14K aid approved $21K to the City of Benicia for repairs

Solano County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and fires.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Benicia covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Benicia’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Benicia. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Benicia total about $24.0M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.