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I have lived here forever and have never been flooded. Why do I need flood insurance?
The flood hazards shown on National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) maps are based on the best information available at the time the maps were prepared. In many areas, hydraulic and hydrologic studies were conducted to reflect the long-term projection of flood risk. Because of the infrequent occurrence of flood events and the relatively short history of the NFIP, Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) are not based only on past flooding occurrences. The fact that a flood hasn't occurred within memory doesn't mean one won't happen soon.
The 100-year flood is a relatively rare event (1-percent chance in any given year), but structures located in the flood plain have a significant chance (26%) of suffering flood damage during the term of a 30-year mortgage. For these reasons, flood insurance is required as a condition of receiving Federal or federally backed financing.
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Form MT-EZ & Instructions - Expires September 30, 2010
This form should be used to request that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) remove a single structure or a legally recorded parcel of land or portions thereof, described by metes and bounds certified by a registered professional engineer or licensed land surveyor, from a designated Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), an area that would be inundated by the flood having a 1-percent-annual-chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year (base flood), via Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA). A LOMA is a letter from FEMA stating that an existing structure or parcel of land that has not been elevated by fill (i.e. the existing structure or parcel of land is on natural grade) would not be inundated by the base flood. Fill is defined as material placed to raise the ground to or above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE). The common construction practice of removing unsuitable existing material (topsoil) and backfilling with select structural material is not considered the placement of fill if the practice does not alter the existing (natural ground) elevation, which is at or above the BFE. Fill placed before the date of the first NFIP map showing the area in an SFHA is considered natural ground.
For additional assistance in completing this form, you may consult the LOMA Tutorial, available on FEMA’s Internet site at: www.fema.gov/fhm/ot_main.shtm This tutorial provides guidance to LOMA requesters, as well as an online tool to complete the MT-EZ form.
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