Frequently Asked Questions

How are Flood Zones determined?

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) compiles the results of extensive flood studies, and publishes Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM).

What are the Flood Zones?

There are six flood zone designations.

Zone "C"
Areas of "minimal" flooding. This is the most desirable area, and requires no insurance.
Zone "B"
Areas where flooding is "anticipated" once in 500 years or, if more frequently, only to minimal depths. Flood insurance is not mandatory in these areas, but is available.
Zone "A" (and its sub-designations: AE, AH, AO and A1-A99)
These are Special Flood Hazard Areas where flooding may be expected to occur at least once within a 100 year period. All lenders must require borrowers to purchase and maintain flood insurance for Zone "A" properties.
Zone "V" (and its sub-designations: VE and V1-V99).
Coastal Flood Hazard Areas subject to both flooding and severe tidal conditions. Here again, flood insurance is mandatory.
Zone "X"
This is the newest designation, and may indicate either Zone "B" or Zone "C." The intent is to readily distinguish areas which typically do not require flood insurance from those which do, thereby minimizing confusion.
Zone "D"
These are areas which have not been studied and therefore are non-participatory in the program.

What is a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA)?

Land areas that are at high risk for flooding are called Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs), or floodplains. These areas are indicated on Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs).

What is an Elevation Certificate?

The Flood Elevation Certificate is an important tool of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). It is used to certify building elevations if the building is located in a SFHA in order to determine the proper flood insurance premium rate for the building, and support a request for a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) or Letter of Map Revision based on fill (LOMR-F).

The elevation information must be submitted on the Elevation Certificate (FEMA Form 81-31) in effect at the time that the Elevation Certificate was completed and signed. Elevation Certificates can only be completed by a Professional Surveyor who is licensed by the State of Michigan.

Why do I need an Elevation Certificate?

The Elevation Certificate is an important administrative tool for the National Flood Insurance Program and is required to properly rate flood insurance for post-FIRM buildings or pre-FIRM buildings rated based upon the determined Base Flood Elevations for the flood hazard area.

What is LOMA (Letter of Map Amendment)?

LOMA is an amendment to the effective FEMA map, which establishes that a property is not located in a Special Flood Hazard Area. It is used when the natural topography at the time that the map was issued elevates the insurable improvements above the BFE. A LOMA is issued only by FEMA.

What is eLOMA (electronic Letter of Map Amendment)?

eLOMA is a web-based application within the Mapping Information Platform (MIP) that provides licensed Professional Surveyors with a system to submit simple Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) requests to FEMA.

Flood Insurance was never required on my property until now. Why?

There are a number of different possible answers to this question:

The previous owner could have purchased the land without having a lender involved. Only lenders are required to enforce participation in the National Flood Insurance Program; there is no public law requiring such participation. Therefore, people who purchase flood insurance do so either for their own protection or due to the requirement of their mortgage holder.
The property may have been purchased before the flood maps and requirements concerning flood insurance were either in place or being enforced.
The flood maps in a given area may have been recently revised. This works both ways in that areas which were previously not located in a special hazard area may now be, or better yet, areas that had been categorized in a hazard zone may now be clear.

Can a Flood Zone Designation be changed?

Yes. If you believe that the FIRM designation is erroneous, you may submit an engineering study to the government and request a LOMA (Letter of Map Amendment). If based on the study you provide, the government agrees that your property is not located in a special flood hazard area, a LOMA will be issued, and you may no longer be required to purchase or maintain flood insurance (some lenders may still require it).

Can Flood Insurance Premiums be reduced?

Yes, it is not only possible, but highly probable that a lower premium may be secured. Most insurance companies compute the rate for flood insurance based on the worst case scenario; that is, the highest possible rate. However, if the house is elevated above the level at which the government has determined that flooding is probable, the insurance company can use specific elevation information to compute a lower rate, based on a sliding scale. The specific information necessary for rate determination is provided on an Elevation Certificate.