Surface Water Management Division

NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM

The Mitigation Directorate, a component of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), manages the National Flood Insurance Program. The three components of the NFIP are:

  • Flood Insurance
  • Floodplain Management
  • Flood Hazard Mapping

Nearly 20,000 communities across the United States and its territories participate in the NFIP by adopting and enforcing floodplain management ordinances to reduce future flood damage. In exchange, the NFIP makes Federally backed flood insurance available to homeowners, renters, and business owners in these communities. Community participation in the NFIP is voluntary.

Flood insurance is designed to provide an alternative to disaster assistance to reduce the escalating costs of repairing damage to buildings and their contents caused by floods. Flood damage is reduced by nearly $1 billion a year through communities implementing sound floodplain management requirements and property owners purchasing of flood insurance. Additionally, buildings constructed in compliance with NFIP building standards suffer approximately 80 percent less damage annually than those not built in compliance.

In addition to providing flood insurance and reducing flood damages through floodplain management regulations, the NFIP identifies and maps the Nation's floodplains. Mapping flood hazards creates broad-based awareness of the flood hazards and provides the data needed for floodplain management programs and to actuarially rate new construction for flood insurance.

Flooding is the number one natural disaster affecting Americans. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) was created in 1968 to address losses from flooding. The program requires those who live in flood hazard areas to purchase insurance for flooding.

  • If your house is in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), your mortgage lender requires you to have flood insurance.
  • Homeowners insurance does not cover flood losses
  • If you live in a high risk area for floods, the chance of your home being damaged by a flood is 26% over the lifespan of your mortgage, compared to a 9% chance of being damaged by fire.
  • A 100 year flood has a 1% chance of occurring every year.
  • New land development can increase flood risk, especially if construction changes natural runoff patterns.
  • Federal Disaster Assistance usually comes in the form of a loan that must be paid off

Floodsmart.org, FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program web site: http://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/

There are also several grant programs designed to help communities and individuals reduce their flood risks. Links to their web pages are listed below:

FEMA Floodplain Management (includes links to NFIP, Community Assistance Program, Community Rating System, etc.)

For additional in formation:
FEMA NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM

 

Community Rating System

The Community Rating System awards communities that voluntarily take steps beyond the minimum requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program to reduce flood risks and increase the effectiveness of flood insurance protection. Yakima County's volunteer actions include flood preparedness, flood damage reduction, mapping and regulations, and public awareness. Our Community Rating is an eight which results in a 10% savings on flood insurance for property owners in a Special Flood Hazard Area within the unincorporated areas in Yakima County.