The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is the governmental agency responsible for maintaining and updating the floodplain maps that are used across America to determine the areas that are in flood zones.

In the areas that are officially flood zones, which have a high risk of flooding, mortgage lenders and government-backed FHA loan programs require that a homeowner carry flood insurance. Your agent at All Counties Insurance Agency & Traffic School serving the Palm Coast, FL area can help you get flood insurance, which meets these requirements. The problem is that these flood zones are no longer accurate.

In recent years, flooding occurred in many parts of the U.S. that had never seen any flooding like that before. Homes that were many miles outside flood zones were awash with water when river banks overflowed in record amounts during the past few years.

Many 500-Year Floods in a Few Years

All of this record flooding is due to the severe weather pattern changes that are happening. How bad is it?

FEMA has the designations on the flood zone maps of 100-year flood zones and 500-year flood zones. In a 100-year flood zone, there is one chance in a hundred (1%) each year of having a flood. In a 500-year zone, which has no requirement to carry flood insurance, there is only a 0.2% chance of having a flood each year. Sounds safe from floods, right?

Houston had three 500-year floods within three years. That is one 500-year flood each year. Homes that never had seen flood waters got hit by them for the first time, and then it happened again and again. Is that bad luck? Probably not. It likely means the maps are no longer useful in predicting flooding.

Summary

The message to everyone in Florida is that you need flood insurance for your home. Even if your mortgage lender does not require it, you probably should have it anyway.

Contact your agent at All Counties Insurance Agency & Traffic School in Palm Coast, FL to get a quote for flood insurance.