Pennsylvania Issues Advisory on Appealing Flood Zone Designation

Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Teresa Miller issued a consumer alert telling homeowners about a process by which they can appeal their property’s placement in a flood zone by the federal government, which in many cases requires them to purchase flood insurance.

Miller said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently re-mapped most of the country using 100-year flood projections, resulting in many homes being designated in flood zones which were never there before, despite many of these homes never or rarely having experienced flooding.

“If the mortgage on a home is backed by the federal government, which many are, then the homeowner must buy flood insurance,” Miller noted.

She advised that in order to appeal a home’s placement in what is officially called a Special Flood Hazard Area, the homeowner must show the lowest adjacent grade – or the lowest ground touching the structure – is at or above what is called the Base Flood Elevation. The Base Flood Elevation is the computed elevation to which flood water is anticipated to rise during the base flood used in determining the land is in a Special Flood Hazard Area.

For this type of appeal, called a Letter of Map Amendment, there is no charge to the consumer.

The Pennsylvania Insurance Department also encourages homeowners to consider private flood insurance. The department’s website recently added a section where consumers can find latest listings of private flood insurance options in Pennsylvania.