Flood Insurance Myths and Facts
| Myth | You can't buy flood insurance if you are located in a high-flood-risk area. |
| Fact | You can buy National Flood Insurance no matter where you live if your community participates in the NFIP. The Program was created in 1968 to provide flood insurance to people who live in areas with the greatest risk of flooding, called Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs). In fact, under the National Flood Insurance Act, lenders must require borrowers whose property is located within an SFHA to purchase flood insurance as a condition of receiving a federally regulated mortgage loan. There is an exemption for conventional loans on properties within CBRS areas. |
| Myth | You can't buy flood insurance if you are NOT located in a high-flood-risk area. |
| Fact | You can buy National Flood Insurance no matter where you live if your community participates in the NFIP. Between 20 and 25 percent of the NFIP's claims come from outside Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs). The NFIP's Preferred Risk Policy, available for just over $100 per year, is designed for residential properties located in low- to moderate-flood-risk zones. |
| Myth | Federal disaster assistance will pay for flood damage. |
| Fact | Before a community is eligible for disaster assistance, it must
be declared a Federal
disaster area. Federal disaster assistance declarations are issued
in less than 50 percent of
flooding incidents. The premium for an NFIP policy, averaging about
$400 a year, is less
expensive than interest on Federal disaster loans. Furthermore, if you are uninsured and receive Federal disaster assistance after a flood, you must purchase flood insurance to remain eligible for future disaster relief. |
| Myth | Only residents of high-flood-risk zones need to insure their property. |
| Fact | Even if you live in an area that is not flood-prone, it's advisable to have flood insurance. |
| Myth | Homeowners insurance policies cover flooding. |
| Fact | Unfortunately, many homeowners do not find out until it is too late that their homeowners' policies do not cover flooding. National Flood Insurance protects your most valuable assets--your home and belongings. |
| Myth | Flood insurance is only available for homeowners. |
| Fact | Flood insurance is available to protect homes, condominiums, apartments and nonresidential buildings including commercial structures. A maximum of $250,000 of building coverage is available for single-family residential buildings; $250,000 per unit for residential condominiums. The limit for contents coverage on all residential buildings is $100,000, which is also available to renters. Commercial structures can be insured to a limit of $500,000 for the building and $500,000 for the contents. |
| Myth | You can't buy flood insurance if your property has been flooded. |
| Fact | You are still eligible to purchase flood insurance after your home, apartment or business has been flooded, provided that your community is participating in the NFIP. |
Information compiled from FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program web site