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Flood zone classifications
Posted on 9/1/17 at 10:14 pm
Posted on 9/1/17 at 10:14 pm
I decided to check into getting flood insurance on my house and my agent told me I am now in a flood zone (what/huh???). I occasionally check the maps myself and had just done so around April this year. The houses across the street are in a flood zone (I think A) but our property was not and has never been as far as I know. Our property is quite a bit higher than homes across the street. I tried to get further information from my agent about when our house got classed into a FZ, if property owners are supposed to be notified of those reclassifications, and who I should call. She really wasn’t much help and said I should probably get an elevation survey done on the house.
FEMA’s website gave me a headache and the thought of trying to speak with them gives me the heebie jeebies. I’m not even sure where to start or who to call and am dreading going down that rabbit hole. Before I call and pay for a survey, I’m wondering if one would already be on file somewhere from when the house was originally built (1999). Who decides what area is a flood zone anyway? Does someone actually come survey the area before it’s reclassified from no FZ to being in a FZ? Soooo many questions. Does anyone have any experience dealing with this?
FEMA’s website gave me a headache and the thought of trying to speak with them gives me the heebie jeebies. I’m not even sure where to start or who to call and am dreading going down that rabbit hole. Before I call and pay for a survey, I’m wondering if one would already be on file somewhere from when the house was originally built (1999). Who decides what area is a flood zone anyway? Does someone actually come survey the area before it’s reclassified from no FZ to being in a FZ? Soooo many questions. Does anyone have any experience dealing with this?
8
Posted on 9/1/17 at 10:22 pm to SMDH
Go to the FEMA website and find out what zone you're in. Once you have that, call the insurance agent and ask for a quote.
They'll tell you one of two things:
1) you're in a flood zone that has a less than 1% chance of flooding, and you qualify for the minimum cost of flood insurance, which is like $450 a year.
2) they will tell you that you're in a higher than 1% risk area and that you will need an elevation certificate in order to determine your policy price since they determine it off of hieight in relation to sea level, and the surrounding properties.
I'm not an expert on any of this, but this is what I went through and how I understood it. Maybe others can correct me if anything is missing. Good luck
They'll tell you one of two things:
1) you're in a flood zone that has a less than 1% chance of flooding, and you qualify for the minimum cost of flood insurance, which is like $450 a year.
2) they will tell you that you're in a higher than 1% risk area and that you will need an elevation certificate in order to determine your policy price since they determine it off of hieight in relation to sea level, and the surrounding properties.
I'm not an expert on any of this, but this is what I went through and how I understood it. Maybe others can correct me if anything is missing. Good luck
Posted on 9/1/17 at 10:23 pm to SMDH
These are easy to read https://maps.lsuagcenter.com/floodmaps/
Basically Zone X is not a "flood zone" and A and AE and a few other classifications are.
FEMA makes the maps as part of the National Flood Insurance Program. The maps are not very accurate and are only tools for insurance rates. They are more of a very imperfect measure of risk.
There is a process to file for a an exception. I'm not too familiar with it though. If you do get an exception and moved out of a flood zone, keep your insurance. It will be cheap and it is worth the piece of mind alone.
Basically Zone X is not a "flood zone" and A and AE and a few other classifications are.
FEMA makes the maps as part of the National Flood Insurance Program. The maps are not very accurate and are only tools for insurance rates. They are more of a very imperfect measure of risk.
There is a process to file for a an exception. I'm not too familiar with it though. If you do get an exception and moved out of a flood zone, keep your insurance. It will be cheap and it is worth the piece of mind alone.
Posted on 9/1/17 at 10:29 pm to SMDH
I know after Rita/Ike a lot of areas were reclassified. If your a zone A I think your still ok as far as rates go.
Posted on 9/1/17 at 10:33 pm to PhilemonThomas
quote:
These are easy to read LINK /
Thanks for the link. Interestingly enough, that map doesn't show me in a flood zone. Close but not in it.
Posted on 9/1/17 at 10:39 pm to LSUEnvy
quote:
If your a zone A I think your still ok as far as rates go.
quote:
If your a zone A I think your still ok as far as rates go.
Some maps are now showing us in Zone A and the agent said the company she contacted would not insure us without an elevation survey.
Posted on 9/1/17 at 10:39 pm to LSUEnvy
Permit office may be able to help with the flood Zone determination and an elevation certificate.
We discussed it in this thread recently on MT
We discussed it in this thread recently on MT
Posted on 9/1/17 at 10:40 pm to SMDH
My previous house was by city park (NOLA) and it was not in a flood zone when I bought. When we evacuated for Hurricane George, I worried. I refinanced a few months later and was told that I WAS in a flood zone. Curous, I looked at a map; the front was not in a flood zone but the back of the house was. I got the insurance and was really glad I did after Katrina.
Get flood insurance, it's either cheap, worth it, or both.
Get flood insurance, it's either cheap, worth it, or both.
Posted on 9/1/17 at 10:46 pm to SMDH
That is strange. If you have a mortgage and are now in a flood zone the mortgage company may contact you. Maybe ask another agent.
To your earlier question about how the maps are drawn. I'm not certain about the methodology but I know it is an expensive process and the data represented in the maps get outdated pretty quick. The hydrology and hydraulics of a watershed change quicker than the maps can be updated. Hell, a few rednecks dumping appliances in a creek could cause flooding in unexpected places.
To your earlier question about how the maps are drawn. I'm not certain about the methodology but I know it is an expensive process and the data represented in the maps get outdated pretty quick. The hydrology and hydraulics of a watershed change quicker than the maps can be updated. Hell, a few rednecks dumping appliances in a creek could cause flooding in unexpected places.
Posted on 9/1/17 at 11:00 pm to PhilemonThomas
Years ago, I was living in a house and it was in a flood zone X. After Gustav, they rezoned it and they put me in an AE flood zone. My premiums went from 300 a year to 3400 a year. We dropped it as soon as we paid the house off. We tried to file for an exemption. The form was called a LOMA. Still denied but later moved. Last year's flood didn't flood the house but the water was half way up the yard. They should have kept it in the X zone.
Posted on 9/1/17 at 11:06 pm to SMDH
My last elevation survey on a house cost about $375 but check with your mortgage company, they may have one.
This post was edited on 9/1/17 at 11:07 pm
Posted on 9/1/17 at 11:11 pm to PhilemonThomas
quote:
These are easy to read LINK /
I would probably tread lightly when using the ag center flood maps for insurance.
quote:
This web product is not considered an official FEMA Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM). It is provided for information purposes only, and it is not intended for insurance rating purposes. Please contact your local floodplain administrator for more information or to view an official copy of the FIRM or DFIRM.
Posted on 9/1/17 at 11:34 pm to SMDH
We have always had flood insurance, flood zone or not.
Posted on 9/2/17 at 12:05 am to LSUtigerME
quote:
We discussed it in this thread recently on MT
Thanks for the link.
Posted on 9/2/17 at 1:04 am to SMDH
I'm an engineer that does elevation certificates. Call me Tuesday at the office if you want to discuss. 225-927-7171.
Posted on 9/2/17 at 7:16 am to andrewm
Thanks andrewm ... will give you a call next week.
Posted on 9/2/17 at 7:27 am to SMDH
I build homes for people on their property and am very familiar with flood maps. As recommended by a few and in the other thread it's a two part process. First check the LAU at map. You can punch your address in. That site has the most up to date FEMA maps. It also gives some info about approx ground elevations on your property. Second, visit the permit office. The LSU map isn't necessarily the map that is adopted by the parish. Some parishes are late or refuse to adopt new maps. Particularly in St. Tammany I have seen homes that should be in the zone not be and conversely homes that shouldn't be in be in. Lastly, if you are not satisfied with your designation, if your home elevation is high enough, you can see a surveyor about a LOMA. That will exempt you if possible, but where we live being in or out you are just trying to get cheaper insurance or not being forced to buy. If you have flood zone across the street, you should purchase flood insurance. There are just advantages to being in X or C.
Posted on 9/2/17 at 7:59 am to PhilemonThomas
quote:
Zone X is not a "flood zone"
Uhh, that's bullshite. Zone X is a flood zone - it's called the "Preferred Risk Flood Zone". It means you have less than a 1% chance of flooding in any given year. Saying Zone X isn't a flood zone because the risk of flooding is so low is like having $0.01 and saying you have no money. No money is $0.00.
Posted on 9/2/17 at 8:21 am to TDsngumbo
quote:
TDsngumbo
I see you do not understand the colloquial use of "quotes" in this instance...
Posted on 9/2/17 at 8:26 am to TDsngumbo
quote:
Uhh, that's bull shite. Zone X is a flood zone - it's called the "Preferred Risk Flood Zone". It means you have less than a 1% chance of flooding in any given year. Saying Zone X isn't a flood zone because the risk of flooding is so low is like having $0.01 and saying you have no money. No money is $0.00.
I hear you, however i purchased flood insurance this week for our new home and i was told by the insurance agent that our home (which is in flood zone X) 'is not in a flood zone' and that i wasnt required to purchase flood insurance ... Maybe it's just semantics, maybe insurance companies consider anything under 1% to be the same as 0%-- either way, no matter what they told me, you can bet your arse i wasnt about to go without flood insurance these days, no matter where in the United States i were to live, except maybe in the mountains or something.
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