Flood Threat and Map ...

talk to some insurance companies about flood zones. they will be the best source of info, since they have been changing company policies quite frequently.

I don't know that you are any less likely to get a mortgage, but your annual insurance bill could end up being exhorbitant. If you are in a flood zone you would be required to get flood insurance by your mortgage company. There are three parts to insurance coverage in a flood zone in Florida: 1) Hazard (your typical policy that covers theft, fire, etc. 2) Wind, which makes up only part of your hurricane protetction and 3) Flood, which covers you in an event of a regular flood or hurricane-caused storm surge.

The wind portion of Florida policies is what has gotten so out of control in the past three years. If you hear of people paying $4000, $5000 or more a year on insurance, it's a good bet that at least three quarters of that is for the wind policy. The insurance companies have come to the realization that even those who live inland in the path of a hurricane are vulnerable to damage, so they are charging people so much that for many it has become an economic hardship. Total policies that were once a managable $1,000 a year have tripled or quadrupled, and the wind portion is the reason why.

Flood insurance is another animal entirely. The vast majority of policies are backed by FEMA (even if they are sold by individual companies, they are guaranteed by the government). If you are NOT in a flood zone, the standard rate is $317 a year for $250K worth of coverage. Many people, like me, buy flood insurance even if they aren't in a flood zone just in case a major hurricane causes a huge storm surge that wipes out our house. (If that happened, wind coverage would not help us.) It is not much to pay for peace of mind.

There has been almost no media coverage about flood insurance rates, so I don't know if the government has raised its rates -- or plans to -- in the face of more hurricane-related vulnerability. I found this link where you can estimate your premium costs (remember: flood insurance only) if you know the zone of the property you are interested in:

http://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/pages/premiumest.jsp;jsessionid=659761E777FE4A06494D6C44F3EA076

I don't know what happens if half of your lot is X and half of your lot is something else. Maybe if you can build entirely on the X portion you would get the X price. You need professional advice for that question, or maybe someone here knows.

My point after this long-winded spiel is not only would your precious beach house be more vulnerable to hurricane activity, the carrying costs in a flood zone might be too high. Because no matter what, you are going to get hit with a high wind premium.

Casey,

You may also want to check out Walton County's Storm Surge Map ....

http://www.floridadisaster.org/PublicMapping/walton_surgezone.pdf

Whether you are in Flood Zone "X" or not, you need flood insurance! Why would someone buy a home down here and not insure it?? If flood insurance is a deal breaker on the home you are looking for, you need to purchase a cheaper home and insure it. Have we all forgotten what happened in New Orleans?

http://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/pages/premiumest.jsp;jsessionid=659761E777FE4A06494D6C44F3EA076

I don't know what happens if half of your lot is X and half of your lot is something else. Maybe if you can build entirely on the X portion you would get the X price. You need professional advice for that question, or maybe someone here knows.

My point after this long-winded spiel is not only would your precious beach house be more vulnerable to hurricane activity, the carrying costs in a flood zone might be too high. Because no matter what, you are going to get hit with a high wind premium.

Excellent link TFT.
Everyone is a flood zone, it just is what type it is that determines your rate and /or if you are required to purchase it for mortgage purposes.
Here is a list of Defined Flood Zones. You can also put your address in and see what flood zone it is in.

FEMA changed their flood maps, and you'll see that Zones A and AE etc. (which I believe some of the A types were not listed as high risk previously) are listed in high risk now, but you have to be in a Mandatory Flood zone participating Community (which makes it confusing for some people)
I think I live in one of A Zones in NY, but on top of a mountain, so obviously we do not require flood insurance.

I have had mortgages where part of the property was in a flood zone, and part not. I had to show the Bank via the appraisal and additional pictures that the zone was not a danger to the house. ie; stream at base of hill and house on top.
Each property depending on it's topography and what influences flooding, ie, wetlands, has to be considered, and my guess is if part of it is in (properties in Sowal) that regardless of where the house sits, flood insurance would be required. That would be a question for an agent though and I am assuming would be based on the type of house (on pilings) and ingress and egress to the property.

Whether you are in Flood Zone "X" or not, you need flood insurance! Why would someone buy a home down here and not insure it?? If flood insurance is a deal breaker on the home you are looking for, you need to purchase a cheaper home and insure it. Have we all forgotten what happened in New Orleans?

So Joshy, you're saying for example, if someone is 250 yds from the beach, in a Flood Zone X, their house is on pilings, they should get flood insurance in the event of a tidal wave?

Whether you are in Flood Zone "X" or not, you need flood insurance! Why would someone buy a home down here and not insure it?? If flood insurance is a deal breaker on the home you are looking for, you need to purchase a cheaper home and insure it. Have we all forgotten what happened in New Orleans?

I disagree. Not all homes need to be insured for Flood Insurance.

Every homeowner needs to make an informed decision about their situation.

That being said, Flood Insurance generally is not very expensive so I would encourage folks to err on the side of caution.

I don't think that anyone needs to take any unnecessary risks when it comes to flood insurance. I believe everyone in this area should have flood insurance as a precaution. Is a tidal wave so hard to fathom these days?

We skipped the flood insurance because a) our house is 45 feet above sea level, and b) even when we get 20+ inches of rain in 36 hours, the local storm sewer handles runoff just fine, and we don't get any puddling in the yard

I disagree. Not all homes need to be insured for Flood Insurance.

Every homeowner needs to make an informed decision about their situation.

That being said, Flood Insurance generally is not very expensive so I would encourage folks to err on the side of caution.

We are 30 feet up and 200 yards from the beach (maybe a bit less), but we carry flood insurance because there is nothing between us and the Gulf. The odds of a major hurricane causing a wall of water to wash into our home are very, very slim, yet we simply cannot afford the risk. That $317 is worth it to us, even if it seems silly to others.

My house sits 45? above sea level.

My house is on top of a rise with land sloping away from it on all sides.

My house is raised above grade by as much as 4? at the highest side.

My house sits on very porous sand which does not hold water.

My house does not have Flood Insurance.

The premise that I should get flood insurance to protect against a 50? wall of water/ tidal wave that may sweep in from the Gulf just doesn?t hold water, (pun intended).

I believe that most people in our area need to have Flood Insurance. But, again, -NOT ALL HOMES NEED FLOOD INSURANCE.

As with everything, please make an informed decision with regards to your own situation.

I seem to recall battles between the insurance companies regarding who had to pay for water damage from wind driven rain. The wind insurance companies were saying that the damage was from water and that the homeowner needed flood insurance to cover it. As Uncle Timmy said, if you are in an A or AE flood zone where flood insurance is not required, the cost of coverage is cheap, and this could maybe fill in any gaps in that wind coverage which might arise from wind driven rain.

We are 30 feet up and 200 yards from the beach (maybe a bit less), but we carry flood insurance because there is nothing between us and the Gulf. The odds of a major hurricane causing a wall of water to wash into our home are very, very slim, yet we simply cannot afford the risk. That $317 is worth it to us, even if it seems silly to others.

Not silly at all TFT. I would do the same in your situation. ;-)

We have flood insurance, yet we are *not* (edited from earlier typo) in a flood zone. We decided this after we heard about so many people on the Gulf Coast who had their claims denied after Katrina. The insurance companies were saying that their damage was caused by water, not wind. Hello, if the wind blows off your roof or your doors and windows aren't totally secure, you will have water damage. Flood insurance is so inexpensive that so don't see why everyone who is "beach close" doesn't get it. Just my two cents.

Heck I have flood insurance all the way up here! I'm a nervous Nellie about that stuff. I don't want to give the insurance companies a way to wiggle out of a claim. Cover all your bases if you can afford it everyone.

we bought all the insurance we could!
considering what criminals they are you have no idea whose going to honor your policy and who isn't.

better safe than sorry. and even if i'm sorry, it won't be for lack of trying!

We have flood insurance, yet we are *not* (edited from earlier typo) in a flood zone. We decided this after we heard about so many people on the Gulf Coast who had their claims denied after Katrina. The insurance companies were saying that their damage was caused by water, not wind. Hello, if the wind blows off your roof or your doors and windows aren't totally secure, you will have water damage. Flood insurance is so inexpensive that so don't see why everyone who is "beach close" doesn't get it. Just my two cents.

Exactly, Beach Runner. If a hurricane hits (or even straight line winds or a tornado for that matter), blows off your roof and it rains for a week after, causing "water damage", your homeowners won't cover the damages other than the roof/structural damages - or at least that is my understanding. In New Orleans, the water damage was caused by "rising" water - again, another scenario that could happen and why flood insurance is a smart way to go.

We live in flood zone X, are on pilings (short pilings - I'd say our home is raised about 3 feet) and we have purchased the flood insurance for $317. I don't know why anyone living in a coastal area wouldn't have flood insurance even if they aren't in a flood zone and aren't required to have it.

Exactly, Beach Runner. If a hurricane hits (or even straight line winds or a tornado for that matter), blows off your roof and it rains for a week after, causing "water damage", your homeowners won't cover the damages other than the roof/structural damages - or at least that is my understanding. In New Orleans, the water damage was caused by "rising" water - again, another scenario that could happen and why flood insurance is a smart way to go.

I don't know why anyone living in a coastal area wouldn't have flood insurance even if they aren't in a flood zone and aren't required to have it.

Maybe some of you need to brush up on Flood versus Homeowner's Insurance.

From the Government website FloodSmart.gov:

Here's how "flood" is defined by the National Flood Insurance Program:
"A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of two or more acres of normally dry land area or of two or more properties (at least one of which is the policyholder's property) from:

• Overflow of inland or tidal waters; or
• Unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source; or
• Mudflow; or
• Collapse or subsidence of land along the shore of a lake or similar body of water as a result of erosion or undermining caused by waves or currents of water exceeding anticipated cyclical levels that result in a flood as defined above."

So, in plain English, a flood is an excess of water (or mud) on land that's normally dry.
Floods often happen when bodies of water overflow or tides rise due to heavy rainfall or thawing snow. But you don't have to live near water to be at risk of flooding. A flash flood, which can strike anywhere without warning, occurs when a large volume of rain falls within a short time.



If a Hurricane blows your window out and rain gets your carpet wet, that is NOT covered by Flood Insurance. If your roof blows off as a result of Tornado or Hurricane and your house gets soaked, that's NOT covered by Flood Insurance.

Flood Insurance is for inundation due to rising ground water.

Uncle Timmy is right, that a lot of water damage caused by hurricanes would be covered by wind insurance. But there are gray areas. When I purchased flood insurance on our Tampa home (also $317 for 250K coverage) I pressed USAA about what would happen if our home were wiped out by a massive hurricane that rolls up Tampa Bay. Our home would probably take $450-$500K to rebuild. Say it's a Cat 4 or 5 and struck in the sweet spot ... with a storm that major, you have to assume the winds would do a ton of damage also. If almost nothing is left, how could you tell what was flood and what was wind? Did I really need more than $250K in flood insurance?

The USAA rep told me that in that case, the adjusters would take into account damage from both sources and part of the payment would come from flood, part from wind. I actually believe USAA would do this because I consider them to be an ethical company. I wonder if that holds true for all. I know that the odds are incredibly slim of this happening (there has never been standing water on my street and my neighbor has lived here for 50 years!) but I still think the $250K flood limit is too low. Construction costs have gone WAY up in the past 10 years and it does not cover as much as it used to.

Uncle Timmy is right, that a lot of water damage caused by hurricanes would be covered by wind insurance. But there are gray areas. When I purchased flood insurance on our Tampa home (also $317 for 250K coverage) I pressed USAA about what would happen if our home were wiped out by a massive hurricane that rolls up Tampa Bay. Our home would probably take $450-$500K to rebuild. Say it's a Cat 4 or 5 and struck in the sweet spot ... with a storm that major, you have to assume the winds would do a ton of damage also. If almost nothing is left, how could you tell what was flood and what was wind? Did I really need more than $250K in flood insurance?

The USAA rep told me that in that case, the adjusters would take into account damage from both sources and part of the payment would come from flood, part from wind. I actually believe USAA would do this because I consider them to be an ethical company. I wonder if that holds true for all. I know that the odds are incredibly slim of this happening (there has never been standing water on my street and my neighbor has lived here for 50 years!) but I still think the $250K flood limit is too low. Construction costs have gone WAY up in the past 10 years and it does not cover as much as it used to.

TooFar,

You are raising an good point, and one which goes to the heart of the confusion about Flood Insurance.

A few posters have referenced the debate that raged after Katrina about whether Flood or Windstorm Insurance should pay for the damages caused by the Storm Surge in MS and the flooding in New Orleans. A very grey area indeed. However, either way; this issue still deals with innundation due to rising ground water.

If you are located in an area outside of any flood zone (please see applicable maps), and you are out of a storm surge zone (please see applicable maps), and your house is raised well above grade, -and it is unlikely your house will be flooded by rising ground water, Flood Insurance may be unneccesary.

There are other factors to consider, PLEASE make an INFORMED decision about your specific situation.

But, again, Flood Insurance is not required for everyone living in south Walton.

TooFar,

You are raising an good point, and one which goes to the heart of the confusion about Flood Insurance.

A few posters have referenced the debate that raged after Katrina about whether Flood or Windstorm Insurance should pay for the damages caused by the Storm Surge in MS and the flooding in New Orleans. A very grey area indeed. However, either way; this issue still deals with innundation due to rising ground water.

If you are located in an area outside of any flood zone (please see applicable maps), and you are out of a storm surge zone (please see applicable maps), and your house is raised well above grade, Flood Insurance may be unneccesary.

There are other factors to consider, PLEASE make an INFORMED decision about your specific situation.

But, again, Flood Insurance is not required for everyone living in south Walton.

I agree with you. For the most part if your portion of the storm surge map shows white you don't need it. We are white in Seacrest but decided to purchase the insurance for the aforementioned reasons. In Tampa we are in the light red (Cat 4) zone. If we were a little farther north I wouldn't even bother.

I agree with you. For the most part if your portion of the storm surge map shows white you don't need it. We are white in Seacrest but decided to purchase the insurance for the aforementioned reasons. In Tampa we are in the light red (Cat 4) zone. If we were a little farther north I wouldn't even bother.

There are other factors to consider though. In my neighborhood, we are at a very high elevation, and well away from Flood or Surge areas; and yet a few of the lots down the street from me sit in a natural depression which can hold water after a heavy rain.

If I lived on those lots, I would have Flood Insurance since they are potentially vunerable to rising ground water.

Maybe some of you need to brush up on Flood versus Homeowner's Insurance.

From the Government website FloodSmart.gov:

Here's how "flood" is defined by the National Flood Insurance Program:
"A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of two or more acres of normally dry land area or of two or more properties (at least one of which is the policyholder's property) from:

• Overflow of inland or tidal waters; or
• Unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source; or
• Mudflow; or
• Collapse or subsidence of land along the shore of a lake or similar body of water as a result of erosion or undermining caused by waves or currents of water exceeding anticipated cyclical levels that result in a flood as defined above."

So, in plain English, a flood is an excess of water (or mud) on land that's normally dry.
Floods often happen when bodies of water overflow or tides rise due to heavy rainfall or thawing snow. But you don't have to live near water to be at risk of flooding. A flash flood, which can strike anywhere without warning, occurs when a large volume of rain falls within a short time.



If a Hurricane blows your window out and rain gets your carpet wet, that is NOT covered by Flood Insurance. If your roof blows off as a result of Tornado or Hurricane and your house gets soaked, that's NOT covered by Flood Insurance.

Flood Insurance is for inundation due to rising ground water.

Thanks for the info, Uncle Timmy! That is why I love this board - I learn a lot from everyone.

I really did think that my Homeowners Insurance wouldn't cover the damage done in the scenario I provided (if it rains for a week and your home becomes flooded with water). So the source of the flooding waters must come below, not above. Now I know!

You are welcome Jill.

But just to be clear, if rain falls for several days and causes the ground to saturate and then flood, that IS covered by Flood Insurance, not Homeowners. So if you are located in a place where the ground can soak and collect standing water then I would advise you to get Flood Insurance.