Today in my mail box I found a letter from FEMA. Mr. Edward L. Connor, Deputy Administrator, Insurance, Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration was nice enough to send me a letter and a simple pamphlet. He wanted me to know that my home keeps me covered, but I may not be doing all I could do to protect the home I love. A mere few inches of water could devastate my home and over the past five years the average paid flood insurance claim was nearly $34,000. That kind of damage would probably be more than my household budget could handle, he suggests. He included a friendly reminder that normal homeowner's insurance does not cover floods, so I might want to contact one of the two listed insurance agents in my county or seek other agents at 1-888-724-6875 or explore FloodSmart.gov/highrisk on my computer.
How thoughtful of Mr. Connor to share his concern with me. His lovely pamphlet points out that floods are measured in feet, but the devastation they leave behind is measured in dollars. Wow! This high ranking government official took time out of his obviously hectic schedule to contact me personally to warn me of what a flood might do to my home and my personal finances. Nice guy.
On the other hand, if Mr. Connor had taken a quick look at the official flood map for the area around my home he would have noted several things. First, my house and none of the property on which it sets is in a designated flood hazard area. In fact, it would take an elevation increase of over 50 feet for the nearest Zone A to reach my house. My house is located on a ridge. Elevation wise, my house is higher than 99 percent of the land area in this county. The county seat would be under approximately 162 feet of flood water before any would be lapping at my solid concrete floor. About one-half mile to the southeast and uphill maybe 10 feet is the triple point ridge dividing three significant creeks that each travel over 15 miles to reach the same river. About 5 miles to the east is the ridge separating the Missouri River Basin from the Arkansas River Basin. When a boat of any size comes floating past my house, it will hopefully be an ark at least as big as what Moses built.
Nevertheless, I am thrilled to have been contacted directly by such a caring and concerned government employee about something so critical to my future wellbeing.
so are you getting the insurance? you can never be too careful...
My mom got one of those same things last weekend.
Her house is at least 200 feet vertically from the nearest designated flood zone.
We concluded if she got flooded we would all be in big trouble.
Larry P
Sort of makes you wonder how many recipients of that letter go ....."oh crap, we better get some today no matter what it costs"
If I was selling insurance you'd be my kind of customer. Pay your premium and I'll never need to pay a claim. It's a no-brainer. Why do you think they only want to insure healthy folks. This flood insurance for ridge lines is probably almost as good as title insurance, just take money from 98% that will never make a claim.
Considering your situation, it would be interesting to contact the insurance company and see if they agree with FEMA's suggestion.;-)
Noah built the ark... 🙂
Was waiting for someone to catch that. Congrats.
well it is 2012. Didn't the Mayans say something about a flood?
> Was waiting for someone to catch that. Congrats.
Nice cover.
Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration.......FIMA?????
Who would have thought that FEMA had a subsection called FIMA?
It reminds me of the old joke about calling "Schwartz, Schwartz, Schwartz and Schwartz".......
FIMA manages the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and a range of programs designed to reduce future losses to homes, businesses, schools, public buildings, and critical facilities from floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, and other natural disasters.
DDSM:beer:
Your Sarcasm Clouds The..
entire reason for the marketing campaign, and why someone outside of the floodplain would receive FEMA flood insurance information.
The more Zone "X" participants in the insurance pool, the more money available for disaster claims, which puts less stress on the insurance pool altogether. The FEMA marketing campaign includes all property owners within the floodplain and (depending on the local CFM) 2-5 miles either side of designated "AE" Zones and floodplains, which may be the reason you were included in the mailing. Pretty basic and easy to understand. In addition, insurance providers were also allowed to suggest potential insurance participants in their respective marketing areas, including potential participants who reside outside the 2-5 mile limit.
It is not unreasonable or impossible, hydrogrphically speaking, for a rain deluged, water-saturated area outside of the floodplain (especiall if the area has loamy/clay type soil) to experience a temporaneous flood event under extrodinary circumstances from a torrential rain. Consequently is is easy to understand why marketers using GIS mapping tools would send marketing mail to someone living high above Butcher Holler.
~AS3
Yeah, But.......
So those of us who would always pay but never collect should join the pool so that the idiots who insist on being idiots can pay fewer dollars? I'd rather contribute my funds to supply someone else with birth control pills and condoms. Then there might be fewer idiots living in flood zones.
Yeah, But.......
Living at, in or near a floodplain doesn't really constitute being an idiot. I think something like 54% of Amercans live in coastal floodplains and another large percentage live near waterways and rivers, and out of all flood claims, more than 25% are from policy holders that live in LOW RISK AREAS.
Did you know that landslides are one of the insurable risks underwritten in a flood insurance policy? Do you thing a landslide could happen there in Butcher Holler?
~AS3
Adam
The fallacy built into your argument is like the AT & T ads bragging how their cellular service hits 99 percent of people in America. That may be true, but, for it to really be worthwhile it needs to also work in the other 65 percent of the geographical area where they don't live, but, where it needs to work to be of any value. I know all about this because one of my cell phones is AT & T. My hammer is almost as good for telephone reception as their stupid phone.
Those in Chicago, NYC and LA are within a very short distance to major waterbodies. Perhaps if eveyone there would buy flood insurance, the cost would be lowered, on average, tremendously.
Those who wish to subject themselves to a significant potential for flood damage should be mandated to purchase flood insurance and leave the rest of us alone. It's that simple. If I don't own a vehicle, but, ride in those owned by others, I should not be expected to pay for some sort of auto insurance so that everyone else can have a cheaper rate.
Adam
If one has a mortgage on their home and lives in a FEMA designated floodplain or flood zone, they are required by the lender to pay for flood insurance.
~AS3
FEMA made me feel special>Holy Cow
The "cow" is going for the basket protection, like Moses....
Holy
> If I don't own a vehicle, but, ride in those owned by others, I should not be expected to pay for some sort of auto insurance so that everyone else can have a cheaper rate.
maybe so, but you could at least kick in some gas money once in a while.
Now I don't feel special
I live about 1000 feet from a flood zone.
FEMA never sent me a postcard.
I'm only about 50' above the elevation.
I feel left out and a little hurt.