So let’s rezone it so the people don’t have to buy flood insurance. Then when the next person buys the home, their bank can say “you’re not in a flood zone and don’t need flood coverage”. Then when they have flood damage and don’t have coverage, they can sue their homeowners carrier because it doesn’t cover flood. Katrina starting to ring a bell with anyone? Hope the insurance agents in the area have a good flood coverage waiver form for everyone to sign.
In our area, the rezoning affected people who had never flooded (in 100 years). People who had purchased Flood Insurance to be responsible, just in case it did happen. They were no longer eligible
for Preferred Rate Policies–after having
such policies for at least 5 years. Their
premiums increased over $1500 for the year,even being “grandfathered in” to a
non-flood hazard zone. The only saving
grace was an elevation cerificate the put them above flood level over 6 feet.
These are the situations that are contestable–not the ones where banks telling customers they have to purchase flood insurance.
Actually, the way I understand the article, engineering issues are being questioned not zoning.
The federal government understated the capabilities of the infrastructure. The town/community made improvements that where not taken into account or undersized.
As best I can tell, they are trying to get FEMA to change them from a high risk area (A or V) to a low-mod risk (B,C,X). In a high risk the bank will force them to buy flood coverage- required by law to protect the insurer of the loan basically. In the(B,C,X)low-mod risk areas the bank can’t force you to buy it. So I spend my time explaining to client’s that you are still in a flood zone and the bank still wants their money if your home is washed down the river or out to sea.
The area that I was speaking of was a B
zone since 1978. They have been rezoned
as A11. They have never been flooded, but
nearby areas have. Under the new maps,
the entire community has gone from B zone
to A11–which negates their previous qualifications of Preferred status. One couple has kept a flood policy since they moved into the area 5 years ago. They had lost everything that they owned in a hurricane when they lived in Florida.
They bought Flood insurance just to be safe. They were paying about $317 annual
premium. Under the new maps, they are A11
Standard it their new premium offer was
$2781.00 for the same coverage. Grandfathering them in to the “B” with a
standard application lowered their premium to $1546.00 annual premium. I suggested that they get a certified land surveyor to do an elevation survey on their property. The elevation certificate
they brought in stated that their land was
over 6 feet above flood stage for that area. With a standard A11 zone application the premium went down to $481.00 annual.
So the fact FEMA came in and rezoned it provided the surveyor with the BFE so an elevation certif could be done to determine the top of bottom floor is at a positive elevation. The elevation of the land doesn’t determine the rate. Had FEMA not rezoned it and determined BFE(Base Flood Elevation)the supposedly 100 year mark, the owner would not know if they were positive or negative. I say supposedly because storm surge from hurricanes is used in the calculation of the 100 year mark. What’s the problem?
Correction- I meant to say storm surge IS NOT used to determine BFE. That why when a client tells me he’s 10 feet above BFE I show him pictures from IKE where the only thing left after the storm surge was the pilings or a slab.
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So let’s rezone it so the people don’t have to buy flood insurance. Then when the next person buys the home, their bank can say “you’re not in a flood zone and don’t need flood coverage”. Then when they have flood damage and don’t have coverage, they can sue their homeowners carrier because it doesn’t cover flood. Katrina starting to ring a bell with anyone? Hope the insurance agents in the area have a good flood coverage waiver form for everyone to sign.
In our area, the rezoning affected people who had never flooded (in 100 years). People who had purchased Flood Insurance to be responsible, just in case it did happen. They were no longer eligible
for Preferred Rate Policies–after having
such policies for at least 5 years. Their
premiums increased over $1500 for the year,even being “grandfathered in” to a
non-flood hazard zone. The only saving
grace was an elevation cerificate the put them above flood level over 6 feet.
These are the situations that are contestable–not the ones where banks telling customers they have to purchase flood insurance.
So are they asking to be rezoned to a pref flood zone B,C,X?
Actually, the way I understand the article, engineering issues are being questioned not zoning.
The federal government understated the capabilities of the infrastructure. The town/community made improvements that where not taken into account or undersized.
As best I can tell, they are trying to get FEMA to change them from a high risk area (A or V) to a low-mod risk (B,C,X). In a high risk the bank will force them to buy flood coverage- required by law to protect the insurer of the loan basically. In the(B,C,X)low-mod risk areas the bank can’t force you to buy it. So I spend my time explaining to client’s that you are still in a flood zone and the bank still wants their money if your home is washed down the river or out to sea.
The area that I was speaking of was a B
zone since 1978. They have been rezoned
as A11. They have never been flooded, but
nearby areas have. Under the new maps,
the entire community has gone from B zone
to A11–which negates their previous qualifications of Preferred status. One couple has kept a flood policy since they moved into the area 5 years ago. They had lost everything that they owned in a hurricane when they lived in Florida.
They bought Flood insurance just to be safe. They were paying about $317 annual
premium. Under the new maps, they are A11
Standard it their new premium offer was
$2781.00 for the same coverage. Grandfathering them in to the “B” with a
standard application lowered their premium to $1546.00 annual premium. I suggested that they get a certified land surveyor to do an elevation survey on their property. The elevation certificate
they brought in stated that their land was
over 6 feet above flood stage for that area. With a standard A11 zone application the premium went down to $481.00 annual.
So the fact FEMA came in and rezoned it provided the surveyor with the BFE so an elevation certif could be done to determine the top of bottom floor is at a positive elevation. The elevation of the land doesn’t determine the rate. Had FEMA not rezoned it and determined BFE(Base Flood Elevation)the supposedly 100 year mark, the owner would not know if they were positive or negative. I say supposedly because storm surge from hurricanes is used in the calculation of the 100 year mark. What’s the problem?
Correction- I meant to say storm surge IS NOT used to determine BFE. That why when a client tells me he’s 10 feet above BFE I show him pictures from IKE where the only thing left after the storm surge was the pilings or a slab.