Let's talk
flood zones.
Your dream home. Your flood risk. Let's make sure you know what you're getting into before the water starts rising. Here's your guide to Texas flood zones, flood maps, and protecting your home.
Texas is big.
So is its flood risk.
From hurricanes along the Gulf Coast to flash floods in Central Texas, flooding comes in all shapes and sizes here.
And here's something worth knowing: your home doesn't have to be near a beach, river, or lake to flood.
What's a flood zone, anyway?
FEMA creates flood maps that show areas with different levels of flood risk. These maps help homeowners, lenders, and communities understand potential flooding hazards.
Your flood zone can influence whether your mortgage lender requires flood insurance and what building requirements may apply to your property.
A little terminology.
You might hear someone refer to a 100-year floodplain. That doesn't mean flooding happens only once every hundred years.
It means the area has at least a 1% chance of flooding in any given year.
Let's decode the alphabet.
FEMA flood maps use letters to identify different types of flood hazards. Here are the main classifications to recognize.
Zones A & AE
Areas with at least a 1% annual chance of flooding. AE includes mapped base flood elevations.
Zones V & VE
Coastal areas exposed to high flood risk and additional hazards from storm-driven waves.
Shaded Zone X
Areas with moderate flood risk, including parts of the 0.2% annual-chance floodplain.
Unshaded Zone X
Areas outside the mapped high- and moderate-risk floodplains. Lower risk doesn't mean no risk.
Other classifications include AH, AO, AR, A99, and Zone D, where flood risk is undetermined.
Okay. But what zone
am I in?
The easiest place to start is FEMA's official Flood Map Service Center. Enter your address to see the flood map for your property.
Buying a home? Check the map before closing, and ask about the property's flood history. Remember that maps can change and don't capture every possible flooding scenario.
One address. A lot of useful information.
FEMA's maps can help you identify your flood zone and review the flood hazards mapped for your area.
Found your dream home?
Do your homework.
A beautiful backyard is great. Knowing how your future home handles heavy rain is even better.
Check the property's current FEMA flood map designation.
Review available seller disclosures and ask about past flood damage.
Find out what flood coverage could cost before closing.
Look into nearby drainage systems, waterways, and known flooding problems.
Does your flood zone determine whether you need insurance?
If your property is in a high-risk flood zone and you have a federally backed mortgage, flood insurance is generally required. Other lenders may have their own requirements.
But you can purchase flood insurance even if your lender doesn't require it.
Here's the catch.
Most homeowners insurance policies don't cover flooding. You'll generally need separate flood coverage to protect against rising water.
Most National Flood Insurance Program policies also have a 30-day waiting period, with certain exceptions.
Oh yeah.
Insurance.
High-risk zone? Lower-risk zone? Somewhere in between? Understanding your flood risk is only half the equation.
Hey Charley is an independent insurance agency. We can help you explore flood insurance options and understand how flood coverage fits alongside your homeowners policy.
Rain happens.
Let's be ready for it.
Whether you're buying a new Texas home or reviewing coverage for the one you already love, Charley can help you explore your options.
LET CHARLEY TAKE A LOOK →