Flooded Maine Family Blames Error in Federal Maps

December 6, 2006

  • December 6, 2006 at 10:09 am
    Patrick says:
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    Show me someone with an uninsured flood loss and I\’ll show you a lawyer who says it someone else\’s fault. As an agent you can never let a client assume they don\’t need flood insurance. Don\’t count on the homeowner to be responsible. After all…It\’s not their fault!

  • December 6, 2006 at 11:43 am
    John says:
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    Many people are confused concerning flood insurance. If the maps show that your property is not in a \’Special Flood Hazzard Area\’, it qualifies for preferred rate status and insurance is available at very low rates. That is why an agent should be consulted.

  • December 6, 2006 at 2:22 am
    claimschick says:
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    \”What we need is for someone to assume the accountability for what destroyed our lives.\’\’

    How about YOU being accountable for your position? YOU chose to forego buying flood insurance. That the street is not being on a federal flood map is not a guarantee that a flood won\’t occur. I\’m sick of people with no sense of personal acountability.

  • December 6, 2006 at 2:29 am
    Ray says:
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    Amen to what everyone has said. I live on the side of a hill, don\’t have flood insurance, but if a flood hits me (coming from up the hill) I know that it isn\’t the fault of the Federal Government. After all, flood insurance is available for everyone, not just those next to the river, lake or whatever body of water you want to mention. Hey, if the above ground pool just uphill bursts, the water coming onto my property and perhaps into my home is a flood and would be covered with flood insurance. Without flood insurance, so sorry Charlie…

  • December 6, 2006 at 2:35 am
    Bernie Sanders says:
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    It is the old line that all people with uncovered claims always utter \”Someone\’s gotta pay\”!!!

    I hate to see the family suffer but she probably bought her homeowner policy over the internet to save $10. Shame on her. I hope they never pay her a dime!!!!

  • December 6, 2006 at 3:00 am
    Gwen says:
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    What if you were new to an area and didnt know if it flooded there often, why should you be expected to buy flood insurance if it never floods there? The smart thing to do is to do the research, check the flood map in order to see if it is likely it will flood there. I beleive this suite is based on her claim that the FLOOD MAP WAS WRONG. So, in that sense, she was fooled by a faulty map, shouldnt the map maker have E&O, I think its reasonable to believe someone might read that map to make a decision when buying flood insurance

  • December 6, 2006 at 3:21 am
    Bulldogg says:
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    Sorry Gwen, but your agrument does not float…

    To go back to Ray, you should assess your risk not based on a map because a map is a poor judge of the area and can not show you potential hazards. Like Ray, you sould look at potential risks like a swimming pool, back yard creek or pond or even the lay of the landscape around the foundation of the house to see if there could be a chance that you could get flooded.

    Also, you should check out storm drains or street canals to see if there is a potential for backup that could cause a flood.

    I can\’t beleive that this person based their entire self risk assement of their greatest investment that they will ever make on just a piece of paper…

    Not to mention, they bought the house close to a river. Don\’t rivers in ME flood during periods of excessive rain or snow run off? They do down here in PA and I\’m sure the physics are no different.

    They got what they deserved, I hope they get no more!

  • December 6, 2006 at 3:30 am
    Gwenn says:
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    Bulldog, everyone on the street got screwed by this and didnt have coverage. If the flood maps arent acurate then why should anyone use them?

  • December 6, 2006 at 3:51 am
    Bulldogg says:
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    Good question, but if you can see the river from your front door and your house is equal to or below the river or levy system, it\’s a pretty sure bet that you should get flood insurance.

    As we all have learned, you can\’t rely solely on the Government. You need to take some personal responsibility.

    You need to assess the situation for yourself. Do a little research and use some common sense (as I outlined in my reply earlier about swimming pools and other potential hazards).

    You should also consult an Insurance Broker/Agent to better understand what coverage may or may not suit you.

    Don\’t rely on the government because it will fail you every time. Do your own research…

  • December 6, 2006 at 3:52 am
    BB says:
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    Gwenn,
    I have to disagree with you and several others that say the maps are incorrect. Who said they were incorrect…the reporter? This is the same guy who said they weren\’t in a flood zone. This shows that you and he don\’t understand what a flood hazard map is! EVERYONE lives in a flood zone, it is the level of risk that varies. So, if they weren\’t living in a high-risk area, known as a Special Flood Hazard Area, they were in a low or moderate risk area….but they were still at risk! And as someone earlier pointed out in this comment area, there is an inexpensive policy available from the NFIP, known as the Preferred Risk Policy, with premiums as low as $112 a year for building AND contents. So, it comes back to the comments on personal responsibility. They were at risk and they had options. They sadly must live with the results of not chosing to purchase flood insurance.

    Regarding the maps, Congress recognized that the flood hazard maps were outdated in many areas. At the time they were created for a community, they represented what the flood risks to the best of their ability, technology, modelling, etc. FEMA, however, did not have enough funds to keep all of the maps up-to-date. A few years ago, Congress passed legislation that created the Flood Map Modernization program and FEMA is currently about halfway through the process of updating and digitizing the maps so more people know what their current risk is and be able to make more informed decisions about protecting themselves. So, the out-of-date map issue is being addressed and the new maps will more accurately represent what the current flood risks are.



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