Information provided by Western Technologies Group.
Can you rely on public flood information when determining flood zones for your clients?
The answer is no. When you adopt this practice, you leave yourself open to liability. All public sources will have disclaimers in varying degrees which say the information should not be used for flood insurance rating purposes. These public systems are also not pinpoint accurate in identifying property locations and are not official determinations of flood status.
There are many factors to be considered when determining flood zones:
- Is the insurable structure affected by a high-risk flood zone?
- Is there a LOMA or LOMR removing the property or structure from the high-risk flood zone?
- Was there a recent map change that could have changed the property or structure flood status?
- Is there a pending map change that could change the property or structure flood status in the future?
- What is the elevation of the structure compared to the Base Flood Elevation?
This information is not readily available and sometimes not easily understood. This data should be analyzed by a flood determination expert to ensure accuracy when determining flood zones, specifically as it relates to the insurable structure, and the mandatory purchase requirement for flood insurance.
A flood determination is no longer a check box on a form. New maps are changing the flood zones of properties across the country. New laws and regulations regarding mitigation and rebuilding must be observed. Many considerations are instrumental in determining a property’s flood status and the flood insurance premium.
So how do you ensure you have the best information? Run a Flood Determination Report from myfloodstatus.com. Each report is insured and comes with the professional guidance from the “Flood Resource Center” which will provide customer support, understanding and direction. Certified flood plain managers and flood specialists can help lower flood insurance premiums and possibly remove properties from high-risk flood zones.
Don’t put yourself at risk by determining flood zones with misleading online tools. Shift the liability and the burden of dealing with flood related issues to the professionals at MyFloodStatus and the Flood Resource Center powered by Western Technologies Group. WTG stands behind every determination.
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