Tag Archives: flood

12 Dec

Mandatory Flood Insurance

One of the things that’s confusing for homeowners is the question of mandatory flood insurance.  As a homeowner, do I need flood insurance?  The question really lies in where your home sits in relation to FEMA’s flood zone maps.   That is the key difference between mandatory flood insurance, or not needing to carry it at all.  Having said that, keep in mind that almost a third of all flood insurance claims happen in low to moderate risk zones, and normal homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover flooding events in their list of covered perils.

Get a flood insurance quote

Mandatory Flood Insurance basic concepts:

Where is my house located?

Luckily, the public has access to FEMA’s flood risk maps, which can be accessed here.

You will want to pull up the location of your home and see if it resides in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA)  – these are commonly marked on the map by “A” zones.  “X” zones are a lower (.02%) annual risk of flooding, verses the A risk (traditionally called a 100 year flood plain, which represents of a 1% chance of a flood every year)

Take for example the picture below.  Now, this flood zone hazard map can be a little daunting and difficult to read to the untrained eye, but as a basic concept – if your home were covered even partially by the blue shading, that would mean you’re in an AE zone or special flood hazard area, and mandatory flood insurance would be the result.  Now, remember it’s not the government mandating you have the insurance, but your mortgage company.  Because they have a financial stake in your property until the loan is fully paid off, they will be the ones requiring that you as the owner carry this mandatory flood insurance.

mandatory flood insurance map

Having noted this, once your mortgage is paid off, you won’t have mandatory flood insurance, but it’s still probably a good idea to carry it.  If you reside in a home that is in the orange shaded area, this would be an X zone representing the lower flood risk – but there’s still a flood risk.    Take for example the events of Hurricanes Irma and Harvey –  Harvey in particular, 80% of the victims of the event didn’t carry flood insurance.   Want to read more on that?  Check out this article from USA Today.

So, yes – mandatory flood insurance is a thing that can be imposed on you by your lender.  But even if flood insurance isn’t mandated, it’s a pretty darn good idea to carry it even if you think your home will “never flood”.

Non Mandatory Flood Insurance

I personally live in a very dry state, Colorado.  There’s no active streams or rivers anywhere near my home, only an old dry gulch.  Below are some images from a video I shot in the spring of 2016 outside our home.  A normally dry area was inundated with water just from one day of heavy rain.  It can happen anywhere!  So, if you are looking to get flood insurance at an affordable rate, you can get a quote with Save Flood Insurance Agency Inc today.

street after heavy rain caused flash flooding

15 Nov

Flood Preparedness

Flood preparedness Save Flood Insurance Agency Inc

Floods are a real danger in our world, and one that most people don’t give a second thought to until they are literally knee deep in flood waters.  Some  floods are foreseen, such as an upcoming hurricane.  But others, like the 2013 floods in Colorado, seemingly sprang out of nowhere after several days of extremely heavy rain created torrents in once quiet mountain streams.   Floods can be devastating for their destruction to property and people’s lives, but there are a few things you can do to increase your flood preparedness.

Flood Preparedness 101

What is a flood?

Flooding is an overflowing of water onto land that is normally dry. Flooding may
happen with only a few inches of water, or it may cover a house to the rooftop.

When do floods happen?

Flooding can occur during any season, but some areas of the country are at greater
risk at certain times of the year. Coastal areas are at greater risk for flooding during
hurricane season (i.e., June to November), while the Midwest is more at risk in the
spring and during heavy summer rains. Ice jams occur in the spring in the Northeast
and Northwest. Even the deserts of the Southwest are at risk during the late
summer monsoon season.

Where do floods occur?

Flooding can happen in any U.S. state or territory. It is particularly important to be
prepared for flooding if you live in a low-lying area near a body of water, such as a
river, stream, or culvert; along a coast; or downstream from a dam or levee.

How does flooding happen?

  • Flooding can occur in several ways, including the following.
    – Rivers and lakes cannot contain excessive rain or snowmelt.
    – Excessive rain or snowmelt cannot be fully absorbed into the ground.
    – Waterways are blocked with debris or ice and overflow.
    – Water containment systems break, such as levees, dams, or water or sewer
    systems.
    – Strong winds from tropical storms or hurricanes cause a storm surge by pushing
    seawater onto land.
    The speed and duration of flooding can vary significantly.
    – Flooding can occur slowly as rain continues to fall for many days. This type of
    flooding, sometimes called a slow-onset flood, can take a week to develop and can
    last for months before floodwaters recede.
    – Rapid-onset floods occur more quickly, typically developing within hours or days.
    These types of floods usually occur in smaller watersheds experiencing heavy
    rainfall, particularly in mountainous and urban areas, and the water usually recedes
    within a few days.
    – Some rapid-onset floods known as flash floods occur very quickly with little or no
    warning, such as during periods of extremely heavy rain or when levees, dams,
    ice jams, or water systems break. Densely populated areas are at a high risk for
    flash floods. In urban areas, flash floods can fill underpasses, viaducts, parking
    structures, low roads, and basements.
    – The strong winds of a tropical cyclone or hurricane can push large amounts of
    seawater up onto the land, causing a storm surge. A storm surge combines
    with the ocean’s tide to produce a storm-tide surge. Storm-tide surges have
    been registered as high as almost 35 feet above normal sea level and can cause
    significant flooding across a large area. This generally occurs over a short period,
    typically 4 to 8 hours, but in some areas, it can take much longer for the water to
    recede to its pre-storm level.

The Impact of a flood

The physical destruction caused by flooding depends on the speed and level
of the water, the duration of the flood, terrain and soil conditions, and the built
environment (e.g., buildings, roads, and bridges).
– Flooding can cause fatalities and serious injuries for people who are trapped or
swept away by wading in, driving through, or boating across floodwaters.
– Transportation routes, power, water, gas, and other services may be disrupted.
– Commercial supplies and government support systems may be temporarily
unavailable.
– Drinking water supplies and wells may become polluted.
– Floodwaters can cause erosion, which can damage roads, bridge structures, levees,
and buildings with weak foundations, causing their collapse without warning. The
floodwaters may carry the worn-away mud, rocks, and other sediment.
– Landslides and mudslides can occur.
– Even a few inches of floodwater in a home can cause tens of thousands of dollars
in damage.

 

Flood-related injuries and deaths are often the result of individuals trapped in floodwaters. The best way to stay safe is to leave areas that flood and avoid floodwaters.

Steps to take for Flood Preparedness

Know your flood risk. Learn whether you live, work, or travel through areas
that are prone to flooding. To help communities understand their risk of flooding,
the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) creates flood maps (Flood
Insurance Rate Maps, or FIRMs) to show the locations of high-risk, moderate-tolow
risk, and undetermined risk areas.

 

Practice an Emergency Plan

Practice how you will communicate with family members. In a dangerous
situation, your first thoughts will be the safety of your family and friends. In case you
are not together when authorities issue a flood watch or flood warning, practice how
you will communicate with each other. Remember that sending texts is often faster
than making a phone call. Keep important numbers written down in your wallet not
just in your phone. It is sometimes easier to reach people outside of your local area
during an emergency, so choose an out-of-town contact for all family members to call
or use social media. Decide where the members of your household will meet after the
flood. Visit www.ready.gov/make-a-plan for instructions on developing a Household
Communication Plan.

Store Life Saving Supplies

Store supplies so you can grab them quickly if you need to evacuate; know
in advance what else you will need to take. Take time now to make a list of the
things you would need or want to take with you if you had to leave your home quickly.
Store the basic emergency supplies in a “Go Bag” or other container. Be ready to
grab other essential items quickly before leaving. Remember to include specialized
items for people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs such
as older adults, children, and those with Limited English Proficiency

 

Flood Preparedness During a Flooding Event

EVACUATE

– If authorities advise or order you to evacuate, do so immediately. Be sure to
remember the Five Ps of Evacuation: People, Prescriptions, Paper, Personal
Needs, and Priceless Items.
– If you are in the path of a slow-onset flood and there is time before you need to
evacuate, consider the following strategies.
✓Move items you want to protect to a higher floor.
✓Turn off gas, water, and electricity if you know how and can do it safely.
Do not touch electrical equipment if it is wet or you are standing in water.
✓Put sandbags around your property.

If Floodwater is present:

If you see floodwater on roads, walkways, bridges, and on the ground, do not
attempt to cross. The depth of the water is not always obvious and the roadbed
may be washed out under the water. Moving water has tremendous power. Six
inches of moving water has the potential to knock you off your feet, and a foot of
water can sweep a vehicle—even a large SUV—off of the road. Floodwaters can
contain rocks, mud, other debris, oil, gasoline, and even sewage. Be especially
cautious at night when it is harder to recognize flood dangers. For more information
on floodwater hazards, visit the NWS Turn Around Don’t Drown® program at
http://tadd.weather.gov.

If You are Trapped

If you do not leave before the flooding reaches your immediate area and you
are trapped, call 911 if possible. Give your location and explain your situation.

IN A BUILDING

– Go to the highest level of the building. Avoid basements and lower floors, but do
not climb into a closed attic as you may become trapped by rising floodwater.
– Go onto your roof only if necessary. Signal for help.

IN A VEHICLE

– If floodwater is blocking your evacuation route but you can turn around safely, turn
around and go to a building on high ground.
– If your vehicle is trapped in rapidly moving water, stay in the vehicle. If water is
rising inside the vehicle, seek refuge on the roof.

OUTDOORS

– Move to higher ground and, if necessary, climb as high as possible on a sturdy object.

For a more complete Flood Preparedness Guide, please find the FEMA How to prepare for a flood pamphlet here.

 

DO YOU NEED FLOOD INSURANCE?

Fill out a quote form today and find out how Save Flood Insurance Agency Inc can get you covered for potential flooding disasters.

 

RESOURCES

If you would like more information, the following resources
may be helpful.
– American Red Cross, Repairing Your Flooded Home:
www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m4340135_file_
cont333_lang0_150.pdf

– FEMA Above the Flood: Elevating Your Floodprone House:
www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/725

– FEMA After a Flood: The First Steps:
www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/3396

– FEMA Homeowner’s Guide to Retrofitting: Six Ways to Protect Your House From
Flooding: www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/480

– FEMA Hurricane Sandy Issue Paper: Guidance for Turning the Power Back On:
www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/29788

– FEMA Hurricane Sandy Recovery Fact Sheet #1: Cleaning Flooded Buildings:
www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/31368?id=7128

– FEMA Protecting Building Utilities From Flood Damage:
www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/3729

– FloodSmart: www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart
– NWS Flood Safety Awareness: www.floodsafety.noaa.gov

– NWS Hurricane Flooding: A Deadly Inland Danger:
www.nws.noaa.gov/om/brochures/InlandFlooding.pdf

– NWS NOAA River Forecast:
www.water.weather.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=bmx

– NWS The Hidden Danger: Low Water Crossing:
www.nws.noaa.gov/om/brochures/TheHiddenDangerEnglish.pdf

– NWS Tropical Cyclone Inland Flooding:
www.nws.noaa.gov/om/brochures/TropicalCycloneInlandFlooding.pdf

– NWS Turn Around Don’t Drown®:
www.nws.noaa.gov/os/water/tadd/tadd-resources.shtml#brochures

– Ready: www.Ready.gov/floods
– Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), DisasterSpecific
Resources: Annotated Bibliography:
www.samhsa.gov/dtac/dbhis/dbhis_specific_bib.asp#disaster
– USGS WaterAlert: http://maps.waterdata.usgs.gov/mapper/wateralert