Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the impressive facade of that iconic building in the heart of London's financial district? You know the one I'm talking about - the Lloyd's of London building. It's like a fortress guarding centuries of insurance history and financial prowess.

Unlocking the Mysteries of Lloyd's of London: A Guide for the Curious

In this blog post, we'll dive into the secrets of this renowned institution, shedding light on what exactly Lloyd's of London is, what it does, and why it has become such a significant player in the world of private flood insurance and flood risk management.

What is Lloyd's of London

Lloyd's of London is not an insurance company in the conventional sense. It's actually a market where various insurance underwriters come together to provide coverage for a diverse range of risks.

Unlocking the Mysteries of Lloyd's of London: A Guide for the Curious

Established in 1688, Lloyd's gained prominence as a hub for marine insurance back when London's shipping industry was booming.

Today, it has evolved into a global marketplace for specialized insurance and reinsurance across multiple sectors.

 

How Does Lloyd's Work?

At the heart of Lloyd's is its unique structure. The institution is made up of multiple syndicates, each comprising insurance underwriters who pool resources to assume risk.

These underwriters, known as "Names" in the past, have now been replaced by corporate entities.

 

They work alongside brokers, who connect clients with underwriters that offer coverage for their specific risks. This collaborative approach allows Lloyd's to offer tailor-made solutions to a wide range of clients, from individuals to large corporations.

Basically, Lloyd's evolved into creating a huge web, a connection, of competitive marketplace participants who are more than ready to provide efficient and effective insurance coverage for your needs.

 

Why Is Lloyd's of London Unique?

One of the key distinguishing factors of Lloyd's is its expertise in providing coverage for unusual or complex risks.

Unlocking the Mysteries of Lloyd's of London: A Guide for the Curious

From insuring Hollywood actors' body parts to safeguarding satellites against space debris, Lloyd's is known for its ability to assess and underwrite risks that might make traditional insurers scratch their heads.

See If Flood Insurance is Required

This unique risk appetite, combined with its vast global network, has cemented Lloyd's position as a go-to market for both conventional and unconventional insurance needs.

 

Lloyd's of London: The Global Insurance Marketplace

Lloyd's extends way beyond the boundaries of London, spreading its wings across the globe with syndicates and brokers in various cities worldwide.

This vast presence allows Lloyd's to tap into local expertise and offer insurance solutions that perfectly cater to the specific needs of each region.

By fostering collaboration and sharing knowledge across its international network, Lloyd's remains at the forefront of innovation in the insurance industry.

Unlocking the Mysteries of Lloyd's of London: A Guide for the Curious

More than Just a Name

Lloyd's of London may seem like a mysterious entity, but with a closer look, we can appreciate the vital role it plays in the world of insurance. Its ability to take on unique risks, its collaborative approach, and its global reach make it an intriguing marketplace for those who seek specialized insurance coverage.

So, next time you walk past that iconic building, you'll know that it represents more than just bricks and mortar - it is a symbol of centuries of risk management expertise and innovation.

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Want to know more about insurance especially when it comes to your flood risk and flood policy? Click below to access our Flood Learning Center.

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When local residents of Covington GA think about flooding their home town normally doesn't come to mind. What normally comes to mind are areas like Jackson Lake or Lake Oconee where they may have a lake house.

However flooding issues in Covington Georgia during winter and spring months is starting to change how people look at flooding in Covington Georgia.

Before we can look at the flooding that has occurred we need to know the flood zones in the area.

Like most areas outside the coast Covington Georgia has three main flood zones.

  1. Flood zone X
  2. Flood zone A
  3. Flood zone AE

Flood zone X is the non mandatory flood zone where flood insurance is not required. The majority of Covington GA and Newton county fall within this area.

 

Flood zone A which is considered to be the special flood hazard area but normally doesn't have a base flood elevation includes areas like West Clark Street and Bob Williams Parkway.

 

Flood zone AE which is considered to be the special flood hazard area as well but has a base flood elevation includes areas like Main Street in Porterdale along the Yellow River. This also includes what is known as the Lofts.

So now that we know the three main flood zones for Covington and Newton county Georgia. Let's look at when flooding is likely to occur in the area.

You generally have two times a year where flooding becomes an issue but they normally occur for different reasons. In the winter months you normally have frontal systems that stall out for several days dropping a lot of rain over those days. Then in the spring you have flash flooding that occurs normally from a lot of rainfall from severe thunderstorms.

The flooding that is occurring right now in Covington Georgia is a direct result of a frontal system stalling out dropping several inches over the course of a few days.

However what is magnifying this problem is December was extremely wet keeping water tables and rivers like the Yellow River full.

yr photo

As a result this additional rainfall simply has nowhere to go. It's important to know that the National Flood Insurance Program no longer looks at flood zones when determining flood insurance rates.

An area that has seen this happen time and time again is the Riverside RV park along the Yellow River.

riverside

In December 2015 Covington Georgia saw significant flooding along highway 278 as a result of the same kind of system.

So when these systems come through Covington Georgia what can you do to protect yourself?

Well, the first step is knowing your flood zone. Know if you live in a special flood hazard area and the history of flooding in that area.

The next thing is to always carry flood insurance, but I thought that I could only get flood insurance if it was required by my bank.

This is one of the biggest myths about flood insurance. It's also one of the things that flood victims in Houston Texas, Nebraska City Nebraska, and Tulsa Oklahoma knew before losing everything to a flood in 2019.

So what are the flood insurance options in Covington Georgia?

It's important to understand that all parts of Newton County participate in the National Flood Insurance Program. So this means that NFIP and private flood insurance are available.

So who qualifies for what?

Since this is a participating community everyone qualifies for the National Flood Insurance Program.You really have 7 NFIP communities in the Covington area.

  1. Newton county
  2. City of Porterdale
  3. City of Mansfield
  4. City of Oxford
  5. City of Covington
  6. City of Newborn
  7. City of Social Circle
  8. City of Jersey

Areas like Riverside RV park that received repeated flooding may have this as their only option.

Generally one of the things that can disqualify you for private flood insurance in Covington Georgia are claims. Some carriers only care if there have been claims within the last 5 years and others will disqualify you if there has ever been a claim on the property.

Something else thats important to know is that you may only qualify for private flood insurance if you have a non FHA loan. FHA is the only loan type in Covington GA that requires all flood insurance to go through the National Flood Insurance Program.

So what about coverages?

There can be a big difference in coverages between the National Flood Insurance Program and private flood insurance. One difference is the National Flood Insurance Program maxes residential building coverage out at $250,000 while private flood can go into the millions.

It's important to know that since NFIP maxes residential coverage out at $250,000 that banks can not currently require more coverage than that per structure.

So what about protecting your belongings? Thats one of the biggest things we hear from flood victims everyday. They say what cost me so much money was replacing my belongings.

The National Flood Insurance Program maxes personal belongings coverage out at $100,000 while private flood insurance generally will offer up to $500,000 in most situations.

So we have discussed what flood insurance options are available in Covington Georgia? The real question everybody wants to know is how long do i have to wait.

It's not uncommon for people to wait until its flooding to try to obtain flood insurance. However most people are unaware of the different wait periods. There is really only one situation where there is no wait period for flood insurance and that is when it is for a loan closing.

Outside of this the National Flood Insurance Program has a standard 30 day wait period. Private flood insurance companies generally have a wait period that ranges from 5 to 15 days.

So it's important to understand that if you wait until its flooding in Covington Georgia or other areas of newton county to get flood insurance then it might be too late.

We mentioned what else you can do to prepare earlier. One thing is understanding your flood insurance policy. You may have loss avoidance built into your policy.

This helps reimburse up to a $1000 for preventative measures like putting sand bags around your property or moving belongings to higher ground.

So maybe you have more questions about other flood prone areas in Covington Georgia or Newton county? Maybe you want to see what flood insurance options are available to you? Then make sure to visit our website. You can also check out our daily flood education videos on our YouTube channel or Facebook page.

 

 

Flood insurance rates can hurt the wallet. Wouldn't be nice if your wallet was impacted less? The NFIP is trying to modernize the program to do that.

In this blog we will discuss this problem, the solution that is being offered, and how to put time and money back into your life by simplifying these changes

Modernizing The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

However, even with this update — which was made live for all policyholders on April 4, 2022 —, a new legislative proposal is still at hand. Let's talk about the seventeen (17) proposal reauthorization with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and how it can impact flood insurance.

The NFIP Reform

Congressional leaders outlined in their Legislative Package Reform some of the principles they are planning for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)'s priorities in the long run.

It's important to note that despite the changes with Risk Rating 2.0, there are still a lot of concerns that flooded residents outside of flooding alone. One of the biggest concerns is flood insurance premiums being too high for most policyholders.

Modernizing The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

Hence, the NFIP proposal for reform is intended to include the following things which boil down to the following:

  • Affordability of flood insurance for low-and-moderate income families
  • Risk communication and flood risk mitigation
  • Reducing flood risks and addressing repetitive loss properties
  • A sound and transparent financial framework

So what do these four entail? Well, look no further as we'll discuss it here.

Financial Framework

First, we need to address the biggest concerns that residents have with federal flood insurance: flood insurance rates.

It's no secret that there are bound to be some increases on your premium rates once that RIsk Rating 2.0 kicks in. We can owe this to the fact that your full flood risk is being taken into account when it comes to your policy.

1. Making NFIP Sustainable

One of the biggest concerns with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the NFIP is that it's still reeling from the debt it has which increases per year.

The proposal looks to clarify the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (NFIA) to support full-risk rates. This way, a sounder financial framework is being established for policyholders.

Modernizing The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

A full-risk premium rate with flood insurance is the rate that's being charged to a group of policies. Generally, this causes the premium rate of flood policies to be calculated as a group to make it more sufficient to pay any anticipated losses and expenses.

This means that if you're doing a policy that covers multiple buildings, you might find it easier to manage your premium rates as this will follow a full-risk rating method.

Modernizing The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

2. Borrowing Authority

Another thing coming up with this proposal is aiming to eliminate interest for future debt and decrease how much the NFIP can borrow. This means that the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is only allowed two-thirds of total premiums in force.

It's important to note that this has a direct impact on the availability and affordability of flood insurance with the NFIP.

Modernizing The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

3. Financial Resilience

The NFIP proposal also looks to provide some form of resiliency and reliability with the federal flood insurance option.

This comes in the form of allowing liquidity in order for you to be able to quickly get your flood insurance claim paid. This also looks to provide that without any problems in the future.

Modernizing The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

Communicating and Analysing Risks

Another thing — what might be the most important one — that the proposal is looking to reform is how residents get information on their property's flood risk.

Here are the new provisions that this NFIP reform is looking to propose.

4. Risk-Informed NFIP

There are two things that this item covers: flood maps and information on flood risk.

FEMA is looking to simplify and provide clarity on how flood insurance rate maps really impact federal flood insurance. So, instead of simply saying that your house is in a flood zone, this reform aims to provide an understanding of where flood insurance is required.

Modernizing The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

This is really important considering how Risk Rating 2.0 is moving flood zones as a regulatory basis for flood insurance and not premium rates.

Now, when it comes to risk information, the proposal aims to enhance flood insurance products that help understand what flood risks really are and, rates-wise, how they impact flood insurance quotes and policies.

5. Flood Risk Disclosure

Another concern that this NFIP reform is looking to change is how flood risk is being shared with property owners.

Generally, the property's flood risk is either made known to the buyer after the real estate transaction or during the sale. This also applies to renters and not just property owners. Hence, the proposal looks to require full disclosure for participating communities on what risks the houses are facing when it comes to flood risk.

Modernizing The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

For floodplain management of participating NFIP communities, this means that there must be at least a minimum flood-risk report sent to the seller and lessors before they even close the deal.

Simply, this means that you will get to see firsthand the flood risk you are facing.

6. Replacement Cost Value & Premium Rates

For this one, the proposal is more concerned with how premium rates are being calculated. This reform looks to use the replacement cost value (RCV) or the value of the property in determining the flood insurance rates.

Generally, this looks to help you get a sign and understand the true risk for flooding that your property is facing. This proposal somewhat echoes what Risk Rating 2.0 aims to do which is to accurately provide flood risk.

7. Coastal Zones and Inland Areas

Another thing that we're seeing with this proposal is how coastal zones and areas are being separated from inland locations.

We have seen how flood zones are being overhauled to also address the flood risks for coastal areas such as the Coastal AE zones. This is being done in order to get a better understanding and rating for the two different areas.

Improving Resilience

8. Multi-Year Reauthorization

One thing that most people might not know about the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is that its original authorization expired in September of 2017. You might be wondering by now, how were they able to provide flood insurance in the past few years?

This is because the NFIP is clinging to short-term extensions. However, the proposal is looking to extend the reauthorization up to September 30th, 2031.

Getting authorization means that FEMA and the NFIP will be able to provide flood insurance for residents across the country until the next 9 years. This also means that they get to sell and service flood policies even during a lapse of appropriations.

Modernizing The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

9. Means-Tested Assistance

Now, this is one of the biggest things coming out of this NFIP reform program is how low-to-moderate incomes are being considered when rating properties.

What does this mean? Flood insurance policies will be easier to manage because of the graduated discount benefit for both current and potential residential properties that will purchase flood insurance from these areas.

Modernizing The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

You might be wondering what's being considered low-to-income households. According to the proposal, these households are those that fall at or below 120% of the Area Median Income.

At the time of writing, the initial estimate of median household income is around $76,000 in a report from April 2022. Now, it's important to note that this consideration depends on where you are.

10. Excessive Loss Properties

A new form of loss properties is being added with this proposal termed "Excessive Loss Properties" or simply XLP. A property is going to be listed as XLP if four or more flood claims and their respective payments of at least $10,000 were made in the life of the property.

Due to this indication of constant flood loss on the property, FEMA will have the discretion to not provide flood insurance. This means that if your house is listed as XLP — due to more than 4 instances of incurring flood damage — you won't be able to go through federal flood insurance for your policy.

Modernizing The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

It's important to note that an update to repetitive loss (RL) and severe repetitive loss (SRL) definitions are also in place with the existence of the XLP. A property will be considered a repetitive loss (RL) if it incurred two or more separate claims payments of any amount that goes beyond the loss-deductible in your flood policy.

On the other hand, a property will be listed as severe repetitive loss (SRL) if it incurred flood damage and receive a claim payment for four times or more. The claim must be $5,000 with a total amount of $20,000.

How To Get Out of Repetitive Loss

It's important to note that it's not the end of the road if you were to get listed as an RL, SRL, or XPL, you can still have your property removed from that list and avoid increased rates and/or unavailability of NFIP insurance.

The only way to do this is to have your property follow and comply with flood mitigation standards set by your state's floodplain ordinances.

Modernizing The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

11. Compliance & Mitigation Coverage

Another good thing coming from this proposal is that following and complying with flood mitigation standards will allow policyholders to get higher coverage limits.

It's important to note that the NFIP still follows the $250,000 limit for residential policies and the $500,000 limit for commercial policies when it comes to building coverage. This also includes the $100,000 content coverage limit.

This is being proposed to change depending on how much mitigation you have on your insured property. Simply, the more mitigation you have against flood, the higher coverage limits will be offered for your flood insurance.

Modernizing The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

12. Effectiveness of Mandatory Flood Insurance

Flood insurance with the NFIP would automatically be required for properties that are in the high-risk zone. It has been this way from the Legacy Program up to the current Risk Rating 2.0.

However, the proposal looks to study if the NFIP's requirement when it comes to mandatory flood insurance meets Congress' goal to increase the number of residents, both renters and property owners, covered by flood insurance in low-income areas.

Modernizing The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

13. New Construction Properties

An important proposal that the NFIP reform includes is that there might not be a federal flood insurance option for properties that are new construction or under construction in high-risk areas like Flood Zone AE. This proposal is also applicable to commercial properties.

This aims to promote the private flood insurance market which is constantly growing. The NFIP will be looking to increase the competition for flood insurance companies on the private side to provide coverage for these highest-risk areas and commercial properties.

Modernizing The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

14. Increasing Coverage Limits

Considering the increased housing prices in the country, the endorsement is also looking to increase the limits on flood insurance coverage provided by the NFIP.

This means that we might not be seeing a $250,000 and $100,000 limit in building and content coverage respectively. The proposal mentions that this is due to property owners being underinsured in the event of a total loss. We will have to wait and see what this coverage increase will offer for NFIP policyholders.

 

Technical and Operational

Lastly, there are some technical and operational changes coming from this proposal as well. This involves filing a suit, reporting complexities, and removing barriers to switching to private flood.

15. Period to File Suit

Now, it's possible that there might be an instance where your flood claim with the NFIP will not go through. Although this is the worst-case scenario, it's still good to know the clarifications being made when you file a suit.

The proposal states that you must exhaust the administrative appeals process before starting a lawsuit. This also means that you only have no later than 90 days from the appeal decision date to file a suit if any.

Modernizing The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

16. Reducing Reporting Complexities

The NFIP is also expected to get a reduced number of reports to file for congress. The proposal is looking to change the 15 reports in a span of two years will be brought down into 4 reports only while making sure that the information being provided is still timely and sufficient.

Modernizing The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

17. Removing Barriers for Private Flood Insurance

Although this proposal is offering the thirteenth item in somewhat favor of private flood, they are also balancing this with this removal of barrier when switching to private flood.

What does this mean? The proposal says that policyholders who have a lapse of NFIP coverage, generally due to switching to private flood, won't have the premium discounts they have with the NFIP.

This means that if you ever switch to private flood and eventually switch back to the NFIP, you might be seeing a very different increase because they won't allow you to retain the discounts on premium rates you once had.

Modernizing The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

As we mentioned, there are a lot of changes coming to federal flood insurance, but will these proposals be better for policyholders and give you a competitive option with FEMA and the NFIP? For now, only time can tell.

Ready to solve your flood insurance problems? Here are the steps you can take:

  • Fill out this form by clicking here.
  • Talk with our flood education specialist.
  • Get back to the important things in your life.

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We want to help simplify flood insurance for you so that you can find more time in enjoying life's beauty.

 

 

2020 has been a year that no one will ever forget. There are three things we want to look at in 2020 and how they could impact the future of coastal private flood insurance.

  1. Covid
  2. Social Injustice
  3. Hurricanes

 

                                                           Covid

When Covid hit in March of 2020 it caused many businesses to come to a crashing halt.

The hospitality industry has basically been non existent and you couldn't pay someone to get on a cruise ship. Airlines are barely surviving. As this happened businesses turned to their insurance companies for coverage.

However many were surprised to find out that most insurance policies don 't cover this type of disaster. Government put pressure on insurance companies to provide coverage. However its difficult to provide insurance coverage when a premium was not charged for a risk.

As these businesses started to close they started to cancel their policies. This started to impact insurance companies as businesses were no longer needing insurance for a closed business. While this was a minimum impact on the bottom line when you add the next two things it creates a major problem.

 

                                 Social Injustice

2020 has seen the rise of social injustice and unrest across many parts of the country. Portland Oregon has seen many businesses burned and even Atlanta Georgia saw businesses damaged after a man was killed in an altercation with police. 2020 was problem the first time in 50 years that you have seen moratoriums put in place by insurance companies for selling business insurance.

At one point Target had to close its Minnesota stores because of looting.

 

                                                Hurricane Season

Now onto the third maybe the biggest thing to impact insurance companies in 2020. The 2020 hurricane season was predicted to be busy but no one predicted it to be this busy. In fact NOAA has had to make several adjustments to their hurricane predictions for 2020.

As we write this blog at the end of October in 2020 we have had 27 named storms, 11 hurricanes have made landfall in the U.S. and 5 hurricanes have made landfall in Louisiana.

This ties the record for most landfalls in a year within one state. Florida set the same record in 2005.

Hurricane Sally, Marco, and Delta have all created major damage in the gulf states. In fact Delta and Sally made landfall only 15 miles a part.

Like most people in 2020 insurance companies are eating through their reserves fairly quickly and they are discovering that many of their risk models were off.

So what does this mean for coastal states like Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas.

In Mississippi we are already seeing some private carriers halt business completely and we have seen this in Louisiana for a few years. Texas has also had this issue since Harvey.

We could see this pattern start to work its way towards Florida and Alabama.

Does this mean flood insurance will not be available?

No

The National Flood Insurance Program is available for properties where communities participate. It just means that the private flood insurance options could be limited for a while.

This will be a crucial time for you to work with an insurance agency that can defend your risk?

What does this mean?

This means being able to show how a risk may have changed because of mitigation efforts even if it has flooded. We see customers rejected everyday because someone did not defend their property correctly.

If you have questions about what your flood insurance are in these areas then click here. You can also check out our

where we do daily flood education videos. You can also check out our

Remember we have an educational background in flood mitigation. This means we are here to help you understand your flood risks, flood insurance, and mitigating your property.

 

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Just a week ago, we've seen another case of flooding in Birmingham, Alabama. The city just couldn't get a break from floods.

Why Flood Insurance is Important for Birmingham, Alabama

In this article, we look back at the plans to lower flood risk in Jefferson County and help reduce the amount of flooding that happens in communities in Alabama. We also talk about how this can impact flood insurance in the long run.

Birmingham, AL Floods

Last week, a storm went past Birmingham, but it didn't leave without a mark. As water came down on the Saturday of July 9th, roads were easily flooded. This left a lot of drivers to find ways to navigate flooded roads.

This type of scenario isn't really new to Birmingham, Alabama. This is why National Weather Service (NWS) hydrologist Roger McNeil looked at the flood-prone creeks that easily help to flood in Birmingham and other nearby communities in Jefferson County.

These flood-prone creeks include the Village Creek in Birmingham wherein a $4.8 million project is planned to relocate sewer lines. It's important to note that the areas around the creek are in a high-risk flood zone which some would call the 100-year floodplain or flood zone A and AE.

The Five Mile Creek in the Ketona-Tarrant area however is still looking forward to getting financial help to mitigate flooding and reduce flood damage in the nearby communities around the creek.

These are just some of the areas that Roger McNeil found to have a high risk for flooding. If you want to read the full article, click here.

But how does this relate to flood insurance?

Flood Insurance in Birmingham, Alabama

One thing you'll be able to notice in these communities is that most of them are being put in a floodplain due to being close to a water source. This is one of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) flood risk factors that now directly impact your flood insurance premiums. This is through the Risk Rating 2.0 program.

More than the impact on premium rates, being close to any body of water speaks to your flood risks. We've seen this in the same article as businesses on Highway 31, that are close to Patton Creek in Vestavia Hills, are required to carry separate flood insurance. This is due to the fact that these businesses are in a floodplain or a high-risk flood zone.

These creeks in Alabama, especially in major cities like Birmingham, contribute to the increased flooding in the state.

Why Flood Insurance is Important

There is no other insurance that can cover flood damage. The fact that we're seeing increased flooding across Alabama shows that you don't need to be in a high-risk flood zone to get flooded.

Flood insurance can provide coverage for damages on both the building or the structure of the property and the contents and everything inside the insured property. Depending on where you're getting your flood insurance from, this coverage can be as high as $250,000 for building coverage with $100,000 for contents coverage.

Why Flood Insurance is Important for Birmingham, Alabama

But this is only applicable if you're buying flood insurance with the government-backed National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). However, it's a different story when it comes to private flood insurance as they provide more flexibility when it comes to flood insurance policy coverage.

Watch the video below to see a more in-depth discussion of the difference between federal and private flood insurance.

Floods are becoming worse recently and are also becoming more frequent. Keeping a property without flood insurance is bound to really cause some big headaches. If you have questions on flood insurance in Alabama and Birmingham City, you can visit our Flood Learning Center by clicking below.

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Remember, we want to simplify flood insurance through education so that we can help you avoid problems and keep the value of your property long-term.

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It's the question that gets asked probably a hundred times a week. Insurance agents, property owners, and even banks want to know the answer.

Everyday we see FHA loans fall apart because of flood insurance. Many times flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program can be higher. Then you might have to pay the cost of an elevation certificate.

In 2019 FDIC made a major move in the industry when it started to allow private flood insurance.

People assumed this meant FHA would start accepting private flood insurance. However, because FHA insures loans they have different guidelines they do not accept private flood insurance. As of July 2022 FHA still only allows flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program, but hopefully, that will be changing soon.

On November 10, 2020 FHA made an announcement they were looking at accepting private flood insurance. They opened up a 60 day comment period for people to leave comments on this possible action.

So what happens next and what will be the impacts?

 

What's Next

After this 60-day comment period FHA will look at the comments and probably make a decision by the 2nd quarter of 2021. If they decide to approve it then they would probably delay it going into effect by 6 months. This is what FDIC in 2019.

So what could the impacts be?

 

The Impact

Well if you currently have an FHA loan then these could possibly cause a major decrease in your mortgage payment. You might see a 40% rate decrease in the private market.

 

However if this is passed don't go and try to jump to the private market right away.

FEMA has strict guidelines for cancellation. Unless you are refinancing your house you may not qualify until your policy is up for renewal.

 

In 2019 we saw a lot of people lose money because of FEMA cancellation rules. Many times private carriers require payment up front and charge minimum earned premiums.

This means you might be out 25% of the money you paid for a private policy because FEMA won't let you cancel.

 

We will continue to monitor this situation and continue to educate the public as this process moves forward. If you have questions about your flood insurance options then click here.

Want to learn more about flood insurance?

Check out our YouTube channel and Podcast.

Remember we have an educational background in flood mitigation which means we are here to help you understand flood risks, flood insurance and mitigating your property long term.

 

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Flood zone AE also referred to as the 100 year flood zone has the highest premiums other than coastal areas. These are generally because most of the structures have a negative base flood elevation. So what determines the premiums of these zones?

Well there are a few things that have a major impact on flood premiums in these zones. The age of the structure, the foundation type, flood loss history, and the elevation of the home.

Let's start with the age of the structure depending on when the house was built it will have a different rating model through FEMA. Its based on the first flood map for structure which generally occurred after 1978. If it was before the first flood map its called a PreFirm structure and if its after the first flood map its called a PostFirm structure. One of the big differences between these two types of structures is called grandfathering where you can keep the property in a preferred flood zone that no longer exists. This is allowed on PostFirm structures but not PreFirm structures.

The next thing that has a major impact on flood insurances rates in flood zone AE is the foundation type. Let's start with crawlspaces above grade compared to subgrade. Above grade is a crawlspace that sits above ground and subgrade is going to be crawlspace that sits partially below ground. The big difference here is subgrade generally will sit a certain level below the base flood elevation which increase the premium. While above grade sits above ground it could still be below the base flood elevation. The difference is things like flood vents can significantly lower the premiums with above grade crawlspaces.
The next type of foundation that will have a major impact on premiums are basements. As you can imagine basements can sit a good distance below the lowest adjacent grade creating a significant negative elevation. This can have a big difference on the rate so its very important to understand this when owning a house and purchasing a house. Also just because a basement is below grade does not mean that it is below the base flood elevation. Now that we have talked about foundations lets talk about how the elevation of the home in a flood zone Ae can impact the rate.The only real way to know this is to have a survey or elevation certificate completed. Now that we have discussed how the elevations of a home can have a major impact on flood insurance rates as you can see from the different foundation types.

Lets talk about positive elevations first and how they can have a big impact. The further your home is above the base flood elevation the better the rate is going to be. If all the elevations of your home are above the base flood elevation your home might even qualify for a letter of map amendment. This means that your property might be removed from the high risk flood zone and placed in a low risk flood zones causing a big improvement to property values. Now lets talk about the impact of negative elevations. As mentioned above basements can cause a home to have an extreme negative elevation. The higher the negative elevation a home has the higher probability of a flood occurring. This can create a double edged sword because the NFIP rates can be through the roof sometimes exceeding $10,000 a year for non coastal properties. However the other problem is the higher the negative elevation the less likely that a private insurance carrier will offer coverage on a property. So these are some things to think about when buying a home with a basement or building a home. we have discussed the impact foundation types can have on a structure lets talk about flood loss history.

Flood losses can have a major impact on a property. It could even stop a property from selling if severe enough. Generally when one flood loss occurs you would lose the preferred rating with the NFIP if you had one. Having a flood loss can also eliminate most of the private flood insurance options as most will not insure a property that has had a loss. However when the second loss and paid claim occur is when disaster can strike. This can turn a property into a severity loss property which has to follow certain mitigation guidelines in order to get insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program and private flood insurance is not available on these type of properties. This is why you should really review things closely before filing a flood insurance claim.

Have questions about flood insurance? Click the link below or visit The Flood Insurance Guru Find My Flood Risk & Flood Rate

So you want to buy a flood insurance policy from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Well, you won't have to worry about how to get a policy directly from FEMA because there is the Write-Your-Own (WYO) Program.

What is NFIP's Write-Your-Own (WYO) Program?

In this article, we talk about everything you need to know about WYO policies and why the Write-Your-Own Policy helps make the process of getting flood insurance coverage from FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) easier.

Write-Your-Own Policy

When looking at flood insurance options, you'd be remiss to think that the NFIP and Private Flood Insurance are two separate worlds that can never meet.

This is far from the truth as FEMA and the NFIP actually built a cooperative in 1983 as a form of partnership with the private flood insurance industry. This is called the Write-Your-Own (WYO) Program.

This created a system wherein you don't need to bother and go through all the hassle of getting a flood policy from FEMA.

What is NFIP's Write-Your-Own Program?

Generally, the Write-Your-Own (WYO) Program helps you find an alternative way to process your NFIP policy through other insurance companies. At the time of writing, FEMA reports that there are at least 50 participating insurers or carriers.

If you want to see what insurance companies are participating in the WYO program, CLICK HERE to go to FEMA's official list.

What's The Difference?

Now, you might be starting to wonder: what's the difference then?

When it comes to the Write-Your-Own, it basically allows other insurance companies outside of FEMA and the NFIP to provide insurance support for operations and everything needed to write an NFIP policy. This makes it easier and quicker to understand your flood risks, especially with the updated Risk Rating 2.0.

What is NFIP's Write-Your-Own Program?

The insurance companies participating in the WYO are allowed to both process the writing of your flood policy, managing of the documents, and use their resource to help you get your flood insurance easier.

The same also applies when you file a flood claim where you will see the participating company to help you get your flood insurance claim get processed.

It's important to note, however, that policies that are written under the WYO still follow FEMA and NFIP's coverage and rates. This should be your heads up especially considering that all federal flood insurance policies are now officially following the new Risk Rating 2.0 program.

What is NFIP's Write-Your-Own Program?

Generally, this means that you will still see a $250,000 limit for building coverage for residential properties or up to $500,000 max for commercial properties with a $100,000 contents coverage.

Getting a WYO policy also means that floodplain management regulations (i.e. flood insurance rate map) set by the federal government will be strictly in place and participating companies are expected to follow it.

Want To Learn More?

If you want to know more about the benefits and differences between the Write-Your-Own Program and NFIP Direct, listen to our podcast below or read our blog post on Write-Your-Own and NFIP Direct:

 

If you still have questions on flood insurance, click below to go to our Flood Learning Center. You could also contact us so we can discuss your flood insurance needs.

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The Flood Insurance Guru | 2054514294

As the U.S. moves out of the moist cold winter weather, the risk of flooding also presents itself. Most can expect to see spring runoff and snowmelt, but fires?

Fire to Floods: Hoover Brush Fire Creates New Flood Threat in Alabama

Let's talk about the recent brush fire in Hoover, Alabama, and how this can impact both flooding and flood insurance in Hoover and its neighboring counties.

Not an April Fool's Joke

The typical quiet Wednesday night (March 30) for most people was disturbed by a brush fire in Hoover, a city in Jefferson County, and Shelby County in Alabama. The brush fire was reported to be driven by strong winds and began just before 7:00 PM.

The brush fire was enough to displace at least 26 units in City Heights apartments on Alpine Village Drive. The impact, although not direct, was substantial thermal damage that presented a lot of risks for the residents.

Fire to Floods: Hoover Brush Fire Creates New Flood Threat in AlabamaHoover Brush Fire as recorded by a resident, Joshua Johnson (from: abc3340.com)

We're talking about at least two dozen families needing to get away from their property. At least two people were treated for smoke inhalation. The good news is that the fire was extinguished completely by 8:40 PM and there wasn't a single death during the fire.

Now, you might be wondering how this and floods can be related? That's understandable since we're talking about literal fire and water here. Let's unpack that question for you.

Floods and Fires

Despite being the polar opposite element of flooding, fire can have a great contribution to flooding in an area. In this case, Hoover might also be facing increased flood risks due to the recent brush fire.

Wildfires like this can damage the soil and vegetation which naturally helps mitigate the severity of a flood event.

Fire to Floods: Hoover Brush Fire Creates New Flood Threat in Alabama

The soil absorbs all that rainwater during heavy rain reducing the excess water flowing into an area. The vegetation also does the same thing while supporting and holding the soil under them reducing mudflows and landslides.

However, when a fire like this happens, both of those things will face significant damage. As the heat dries out the soil, it won't be able to take in water and all that charred remains will add to the floodwater. There will also be a lot of debris flow due to the burnt flora. We've seen this flood threat before in California.

What It Means for Flood Insurance

One of the things that came out of the recent flood insurance update on the federal side with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is the Risk Rating 2.0 and how it perceives flood threats.

The new Risk Rating 2.0 will be assessing a lot of flood variables when it comes to determining the premium rate for your property.

For Hoover residents, this type of event can add to the amount of flooding and flood type variables. Instead of just expecting potential flooding due to runoff or rising of bodies of water like Parker Lake and Cahaba River, property owners in Hoover will also be assessed for possible flash flooding and mudflow caused by this brush fire.

This could badly hurt your flood insurance premiums with the Risk Rating 2.0 especially once your renewal kicks in.

Fire to Floods: Hoover Brush Fire Creates New Flood Threat in Alabama

— Good thing I'm doing a private flood insurance policy, right?

Although Private Flood generally has cheaper premium rates, private insurance companies were first to assess a property's flood risk by looking at its flood data and not just the flood zone alone. This may still present a shift in your Hoover home's flood risk hence flood insurance rates.

Better Than No Flood Insurance

At the end of the day, it's best to still secure that flood insurance since we can't really tell how Hoover would respond to flooding in the next few weeks. We're looking at spring runoff, snowmelt, heavy rainfall, and now, fire scars of this as flood risks in Hoover.

If you need flood insurance, Alabama has been opened to more options due to increased risks from previous years. This way, you can get your flood insurance through either the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the NFIP or through multiple private flood insurance companies.

If you want to know how they are different, watch the video below:

Remember, we have an educational background in flood mitigation which lets us help you understand flood risks like brush fires, your flood insurance, and how to best protect the value of your property long-term.

If you've got questions, click the link below to go to our Flood Learning Center:

Flood Insurance Guru | Service | Knowledge Base

You can also use this link below to call us:

The Flood Insurance Guru | 2054514294

Be safe out there, Alabama.

As the whole country moves out of the winter season, saying goodbye to all that snow might not be quick after all. One of the secrets of this transition from the snow-filled streets to blooming trees is the threat of flooding.

What Snowmelts Mean for Flooding in Ohio

Today, we want to talk about snowmelt, how it impacts flooding, and how flood insurance helps in protecting yourself from snow.

Spring Floods in 2022

Farewell to our cool friends from the month of December (see what we did there?) and hello to a warmer climate. For some this is a breath of fresh air since, let's be honest, the winter season had its fair share of annoyances like slippery pavements and the need to constantly shovel snow for areas that experience a lot of snow like the midwest region.

However, this shift might be presenting a bigger concern for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as the warmer climate also presents the possibility of drought and spring floods across the West, Midwest, and Southeast.

What Snowmelts Mean for Flooding in Ohio

Why are NOAA and other National Weather Service (NWS) are worrying? We got a lot of moisture from winter, Chris.

This is exactly the case when you start to look into flooding. As we move into the warmest season of the year, Summer, it's important to note that all that ice and snow will start to melt.

When you have oversaturated soil, it only takes a small rainfall to transform these into water.

Lookout! Spring Floods in 2022

NOAA considers a lot of factors other than snowmelt when it comes to what's called the spring flood that we may see in May. These things include drought, the current status of snowpacks, saturation levels, frost depth, and streamflow.

These things separated don't really cause floods, but they are ingredients to the worst cocktail you might experience. However, it's important to note that flood threats don't just pertain to that overflow of water from rivers, lakes, or creeks. We all know by now that even consistent rainfall can create damaging floodwaters.

We've actually seen this happen last year in the state of Colorado. You can read our blog on it by clicking here (Snowstorm in the Centennial State: Impacts of the May Spring Runoff).

What Snowmelts Mean for Flooding in Ohio

Considering that there was very late precipitation in fall and winter, the ground that we have during the first months of Spring would still be too wet to take in more water. Major flood risks are being expected from areas near the Red River, Ohio River, and the James River.

This isn't a problem that's specific to areas covered by snow like Ohio where there can be 2 to 4 inches of snow on average, but also to low-lying areas. Once these areas' respective ground couldn't take any more water, all that water won't stop and actually go to low-lying areas.

What Snowmelts Mean for Flooding in Ohio

 

Once you include drought in the equation, then you're just looking at heavy rain and even small amounts of precipitation to be water hitting cement.

This is why NOAA's recent outlook sees areas like the Ohio Valley to be at above-average levels when it comes to flood risks during the spring. This simply means that Ohio is expected to see more floods and runoff during the blooming season. This is the concern of NOAA due to the melting of ice, snow, as well as precipitation as we move into a warmer climate.

How Flood Insurance Helps

We're going, to be honest, a mere flood policy won't be able to change the flood threat that you're facing in Ohio or control its flood stage. However, just like a role-playing game, flood insurance has all the defense stats you would need to avoid getting snared by the violent spring runoff.

Buy Flood Insurance Now!

Flood insurance actually covers damages from all types of flooding including spring runoff or spring flood. This simply means that regardless of the floodwaters coming from snowpacks melting, storms, or major rivers cresting, you will find peace of mind knowing that you can fight those losses.

What Snowmelts Mean for Flooding in Ohio

A standard flood insurance policy can cover all of the damages due to flooding on both your home or dwelling and everything inside of it. Depending on where you're getting your flood insurance, you might see different coverage amounts.

For example, getting a flood policy from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) will cap your coverage amount for building damages to $250,000 and $100,000 for contents.

The same can't be said for private flood insurance companies. Private flood is known for its quick turnaround time to have a policy take effect on an insured building and more flexible coverage amounts.

Need more help in preparing for spring floods? Click here to read our guide on "How to Prepare For 2022 Spring Runoff Season".

Bloom in Spring

Spring flood is becoming a yearly concern for the United States, so it's best to know why such an important change from winter to spring can impact you. After all, we are talking about our safety.

If you've got questions on spring floods or anything about flood insurance, click below to go to our Flood Learning Center where we answer your flood insurance questions.

Flood Insurance Guru | Service | Knowledge Base

Remember, we have an educational background in flood mitigation which lets us help you understand flooding, flood insurance, and protecting you from all types of flood risks.

The Flood Insurance Guru | 2054514294