What FEMA flood maps mean for residents, real estate
Have you checked your flood zone status lately?
9-16-2013: FEMA is evaluating flood maps and raising insurance rates for flood insurance – are you prepared? FEMA now requires jumbo-mortgage properties in potentially hazardous areas to carry the maximum amount flood insurance coverage ($250,000). There’s an optional additional “private” insurance over the maximum and another $100,000 of personal property contents coverage…>Annual NFIP (National Flood Insurance Premium) premiums range from $625 to $3,000 but may more than double in next few years. Note: 100 year flood plain means it could flood in any 1 year period in the next 100 years.
6-12-2013: Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323975004578501194120178434.html
Update 3-7-2012: Some New Orleans areas got huge FEMA flood insurance rate hikes – some didn’t. Have you reviewed the new FEMA Flood Maps and impact of rates in your property? Source: http://www.fox8live.com/story/21538366/new-flood-insurance-costs-claim-victim
Update 2-20-2012: FEMA encourages citizens around Upper Chattahoochee River area (i.e., metro Atlanta) to check out their flood possibilities using this website of preliminary flood insurance rate maps: http://www.GeorgiaDFIRM.com
According to the 8-9-2010 MDJ, the Cobb County Water System entered into an agreement with the Georgia Environmental Protection Department to produce an updated flood plain map for Cobb County. Even though the article said the “partnership will cost the county any money”, but someone will bare the cost – will it cost us more in water bills and eventually federal, state and local funds?
Also, where is FEMA in this process? – Are they in the loop when drawing Flood Maps? How will the local County flood maps be used? Will FEMA adopt them? Will they be used by insurers and mortgage lenders (who only use Federal Flood maps), or apply to Federal funding if floods occur?
FEMA may need to get involved after a while and hopefully the final maps can be quickly approved, easily uploaded and integrated into the Federal Flood Maps, but will that be another level of bureaucracy…
So in the end, FEMA, GEMA, GEPD and CCWS (and others?) will all get involved. I don’t object to the need for the maps (since if you ask everyone, they can’t tell you – via a map – what areas of Austell and Powder Springs were flooded in September 2009—-which helps a prospective homeowner be aware of past floods), but who should be in charge and at what will be the final cost to you and me?