Source 1: Floodsmart National Flood Insurance Program
Source 2: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration

The National Flood Insurance Program, is a pre-disaster flood mitigation and insurance protection program designed to reduce the escalating cost of disasters. The National Flood Insurance Program makes federally backed flood insurance available to residents and business owners.

Do not make assumptions. Check your policy.

National Flood Insurance Program call 1-888-CALL-FLOOD ext. 445, TDD# 1-800-427-5593.

There's something you should know: Flood losses aren't usually covered by your homeowners insurance policy.

Floodwaters have the power to damage not only your home and sense of security, but also your financial future. How can you protect your most important investment in case of flooding?

Option 1: Hope that you'll receive Federal disaster relief if a flood hits.

Many people wrongly believe that the U.S. government will take care of all their financial needs if they suffer damage due to flooding. The truth is that Federal disaster assistance is only available if the President formally declares a disaster. Even if you do get disaster assistance, it's often a loan you have to repay, with interest, in addition to your mortgage loan that you still owe on the damaged property.

Most importantly, you must consider the fact that if your home is flooded and disaster assistance isn't offered, you'll have to shoulder the massive damage costs alone.

The bottom line? If you're looking for secure protection from financial loss due to flood damage, Federal disaster assistance is not the answer.

Option 2: Buy flood insurance and stay protected no matter what.

When disaster strikes, flood insurance policyholder claims are paid even if a disaster is not Federally declared.

Flood insurance means you'll be reimbursed for all your covered losses. And unlike Federal aid, it never has to be repaid.

As long as your community participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), you're eligible to purchase flood insurance. To find out if your community participates, check the Community Status Book on FEMA.gov.

As a homeowner, you can insure your home up to $250,000 and its contents up to $100,000. If you're a renter, you can cover your belongings up to $100,000. As a non-residential property owner, you can insure your building and its contents up to $500,000.

In general, a policy does not take effect until 30 days after you purchase flood insurance. So, if the weather forecast announces a flood alert for your area and you go to purchase coverage, it's already too late. You will not be insured if you buy a policy a few days before a flood.

A flood insurance policy is easy to get, affordable and offers invaluable peace of mind. With flood insurance, you know you're covered … no matter what.

Be FloodSmart! Get covered today.

Contact your insurance agent or company.

What is Flood Insurance?

Unlike a standard homeowners policy, flood insurance covers losses to your property caused by flooding.

Some of the things a standard flood policy will cover include:

• structural damage
• furnace, water heater and air conditioner
• flood debris clean up
• floor surfaces such as carpeting and tile

You can also buy a flood insurance policy to cover the contents of your home, such as furniture, collectibles, clothing, jewelry and artwork.

Policies are available in three forms: Dwelling (most homes), General Property (apartments and businesses), and Residential Condominium Building Association (condominiums).

It's important to know that if you have a federally backed mortgage on a home located in a high-risk area, federal law requires you to purchase flood insurance. Also, if you've received a federal grant for previous flood losses, you must have a flood policy to qualify for future aid.

Benefits of Flood Insurance

Buying flood insurance is the best thing you can do to protect your home, business, family, and financial security from a flood.

When you are a flood insurance policyholder:

• Flood insurance compensates you for all covered losses.
• Coverage is relatively inexpensive.
• You can depend on being reimbursed for flood damages, even if the President does not declare a Federal disaster.
• You do not have to repay a loan, as you might have to with many Federal disaster relief packages. Your covered losses are paid in full.
• You can count on your claim being paid in the event of a flood loss because NFIP flood insurance is backed by the Federal government.
• Your agent can help you handle your claim quickly, so that you will not have to put your life on hold if your property is damaged by a flood. You can even request a partial payment immediately after the flood, which can help you recover even faster.

What is your Flood Risk?

Find out your relative flood risk today, online. Simply click here http://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/pages/riskassesment/findpropertyform.jsp and enter your property information, and they'll show you the relative flood risk to your property, links to flood insurance resources, and a list of licensed insurance agents who serve your area.

Flood Zones Defined

Flood zones are geographic areas that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has defined according to varying levels of flood risk.

These zones are depicted on a community's Flood Hazard Boundary Map or a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM). Each zone reflects the severity or type of flooding in the area.

Below are brief definitions of the FEMA flood zones. For comprehensive flood zone definitions, visit the NFIP Web site. If you'd like additional information, contact your agent.

Moderate to Low Risk Areas

In communities that participate in the NFIP, flood insurance is available to all property owners and renters with moderate to low risk.

Zones B, C, and X
Areas with less than a 1% chance of flooding each year; areas that have less than a 1% chance of sheet flow flooding with an average depth of less than 1 foot; areas that have less than a 1% chance of stream flooding where the contributing drainage area is less than 1 square mile; or areas protected from floods by levees. No base flood elevations or depths are shown within these zones.

High Risk Areas

In communities that participate in the NFIP, mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements apply to all A zones.

Zone A
Areas with a 1% annual chance of flooding and a 26% chance of flooding over the life of a 30-year mortgage. Because detailed analyses are not performed for such areas; no depths or base flood elevations are shown within these zones.

Zone AE and A1-A30
Areas with a 1% annual chance of flooding and a 26% chance of flooding over the life of a 30-year mortgage. In most instances, base flood elevations derived from detailed analyses are shown at selected intervals within these zones.

Zone AH
Areas with a 1% annual chance of shallow flooding, usually in the form of a pond, with an average depth ranging from 1 to 3 feet. These areas have a 26% chance of flooding over the life of a 30-year mortgage. Base flood elevations derived from detailed analyses are shown at selected intervals within these zones.

Zone AO
River or stream flood hazard areas, and areas with a 1% or greater chance of shallow flooding each year, usually in the form of sheet flow, with an average depth ranging from 1 to 3 feet. These areas have a 26% chance of flooding over the life of a 30-year mortgage. Average flood depths derived from detailed analyses are shown within these zones.

Zone AR
Areas with a temporarily increased flood risk due to the building or restoration of a flood control system (such as a levee or a dam). Mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements will apply, but rates will not exceed the rates for unnumbered A zones if the structure is built or restored in compliance with Zone AR floodplain management regulations.

Zone A99
Areas with a 1% annual chance of flooding that will be protected by a Federal flood control system where construction has reached specified legal requirements. No depths or base flood elevations are shown within these zones.

High Risk - Coastal Areas

In communities that participate in the NFIP, mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements apply to all V zones.

Zone V
Coastal areas with a 1% or greater chance of flooding and an additional hazard associated with storm waves. These areas have a 26% chance of flooding over the life of a 30-year mortgage. No base flood elevations are shown within these zones.

Zone VE and V1 - 30
Coastal areas with a 1% or greater chance of flooding and an additional hazard associated with storm waves. These areas have a 26% chance of flooding over the life of a 30-year mortgage. Base flood elevations derived from detailed analyses are shown at selected intervals within these zones.

Undetermined Risk Areas

Zone D
Areas with possible but undetermined flood hazards. No flood hazard analysis has been conducted. Flood insurance rates are commensurate with the uncertainty of the flood risk.