FAQ

The four main types of flooding are: river, surface, flash, and coastal.

• River floods occur when the water level in a river, lake, or stream rises and overflows onto surrounding banks, shores, and neighboring land.
• Surface floods occur when an urban drainage system is overwhelmed, and water flows out into streets and nearby structures.
• Flash flooding happens when there’s an intense, high-speed stream of water triggered by heavy rain falling in a short amount of time near higher elevations.
• Coastal flooding affects land areas along large bodies of water like oceans, or the great lakes. Common causes are intense windstorm events occurring at the same time as high tide (storm surge) and tsunamis.

Beyond basic cleanup, flooding poses numerous hazards to your home. Flood water can lead to mold growth, structural and foundation damage, and many other issues. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) estimates that just one inch of water can cost more than $25,000 in damages. One foot of water can cost over $70,000 in damages.

Use the FEMA flood damage cost calculator 

Flood maps show a community’s risk of flooding. The maps show an area’s defined flood zones, the boundaries of flood zones, and the level of flooding expected during certain flood events. Flood maps can help you understand your specific flood risk and make more informed decisions about how to reduce or manage that risk.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is responsible for creating, maintaining, and updating flood maps across the United States. Updates to flood map areas are a collaborative effort between community floodplain administrators and FEMA.

A flood zone describes the flood risk for a defined area within a community’s flood map. Everyone lives in an area with some flood risk — it’s just a question of whether you live in a high-risk, low-risk, or moderate-risk flood area.

FEMA flood maps explained

Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) are areas at high risk of flooding — at least a one percent chance of flooding each year. Homes in these areas face a one in four chance of at least one flood event during a 30-year mortgage, and homeowners are generally required by their mortgage company to have appropriate flood insurance, either through a private company or through FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), as long as the loan remains unpaid.

High-risk flood zones begin with the letters A or V on FEMA flood maps. These areas face the highest risk of flooding. If you own a property in a high-risk zone, you may be required to purchase and maintain flood insurance as a condition of your mortgage loan.

Moderate- to low-risk flood zones are designated with the letters B, C, and X on FEMA flood maps. In these areas, the risk of being flooded is less, but not zero. FEMA indicates that one in three insurance claims come from moderate- to low-risk flood areas.*

View the full flood zone category table

*FEMA – National Flood Insurance Program: What is a flood map?

Flood maps published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) can help you identify evaluate the flood risk of where you live. Using a flood map, you can see the relationship between your property and the areas with the highest anticipated risk of flooding. It’s important to note that everyone lives in an area with some flood risk — whether it’s a high-risk, moderate-risk, or low-risk flood area.

You could be. Surface and flash flooding can occur from rain events regardless of closeness to bodies of water or the coast. These types of floods can be just as dangerous and costly as river and coastal flooding.

Common reasons for differences in flood risks, in addition to how near you are to water, include a property’s elevation, whether your community has flood risk reduction adaptions or structures like wetlands, levees, or seawalls.

Floods don’t follow city limits or property lines, and flood risk can change over time. Using a flood map published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), you can see the relationship between your property and areas with the highest risk of flooding. Some areas have a lower or moderate risk, but there is no such thing as a “no-risk zone.” Community development, such as paving roads and building parking lots, can affect how storm water is absorbed and can contribute to previously undisturbed areas now being at higher risk of flooding.

High-risk flood areas begin with the letters A or V on FEMA flood maps and typically have dark shading. Moderate- to low-risk flood areas begin with the letters B, C, or X and typically have lighter or no shading on flood maps.

Just because your home might not be in the high-risk flood area doesn’t mean you’re not at risk. Water doesn’t stop at lines on the map.

If you’re having difficulties interpreting the maps, reach out to a local official, such as your county’s floodplain manager or a community planning department, for assistance.

Flood insurance is a type of property coverage that protects homeowners or renters from flood-related damage to the structure and/or contents of their property. For renters, coverage is usually only for the contents of the home.

View FEMA fact sheet

No. Standard homeowners or renters insurance policies do not cover flood damages, but you may be able to add flood damage coverage depending on your insurer. Generally, flood insurance is purchased separately through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or other private insurers.

Having flood insurance is one of the best protections against the risk of catastrophic financial impact due to flood damage from a flooding event.

For people who live within a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) and have certain types of mortgages, having flood insurance is mandatory.

Whether or not you should purchase optional flood insurance depends on a lot of factors, including your level of risk acceptance, household location, and financial means.

Even those living in low-risk areas might benefit from purchasing flood insurance coverage. FEMA statistics show that people who live outside of high-risk areas file more than 25% of flood claims nationwide.

View FEMA fact sheet

Nearly all flood insurance policies are from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). This coverage is available for purchase to households living within communities that participate in NFIP.

You can buy flood insurance by calling your insurance company or calling a local insurance agent who is qualified to help you get flood insurance with NFIP.

If you don’t have an insurance company, or if your insurance agent does not sell flood insurance, use the NFIP insurance provider locator to find a provider near you.

Your agent may also be able to help you buy a flood insurance policy with a private insurance company. They will be able to assist you in determining the best option for your needs.

Read about how to buy flood insurance

Property owners and tenants who live in communities participating in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) can purchase affordable protection through your local insurance agent or an insurer participating in NFIP.

If you don’t have an insurance company, or if your local insurance agent does not sell flood insurance, use the NFIP insurance provider locator to find a provider near you.

Your local agent may also be able to help you buy a flood insurance policy with a private insurance company. They can help you choose the best option for your needs.

Many things are considered when determining your annual flood insurance premium. These include:

• Flood risk (e.g., your flood zone).
• The type of coverage being purchased (e.g., building and contents coverage).
• The deductible and amount of building and contents coverage.
• The location of your structure.
• The design and age of your structure.
• The location of your structure’s contents (e.g., if your utilities are elevated).

In October 2020, FEMA said the estimated average annual cost to consumers of flood insurance would be $1,080. However, FEMA recently introduced a new pricing system, Risk Rating 2.0, which will affect the cost of flood insurance. Get more details here.

Homeowners, renters, and business owners who live in NFIP-participating communities are eligible to purchase flood insurance. A single-family residential building can be insured up to $250,000 and its contents up to $100,000. Renters can cover contents up to $100,000. Non-residential property owners can insure their building up to $500,000 and contents up to $500,000.

Additional coverage information can be found on the FloodSmart website.

There are several other flood mitigation options you can consider, but choosing to use any of the options will depend on your specific circumstances. Learn more about what these options are on the FloodSmart website.