Flood Insurance

National Flood Insurance Program protects your most important investment–your home or business and its contents. The insurance is considerably less expensive than federal disaster loans and it’s 100 percent backed by the U.S. government.

Don't forget...

Anywhere it rains, it can flood!
Homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover losses due to flooding.
Flood insurance is mandatory for federally backed mortgages on buildings located in the special flood hazard area.

Did you know?
If your property is in a special flood hazard area, there is at least a 1 in 4 chance of flooding during a 30-year mortgage.

You are not covered for flood damage under your homeowner’s or tenant’s insurance, these policies specifically exclude flooding. Much of Pinellas County is prone to flooding, so you should consider getting flood insurance.

Flood insurance covers you for damage to your home, business and contents due to surface accumulation of water from inland or tidal flooding and erosion due to flooding.

Did you know?
If your subsidized flood insurance policy lapses beyond 30 days more than once you will not be eligible for a subsidized rate when you reinstate your policy. If your subsidized flood insurance policy lapses beyond 90 days you will no longer be eligible for a subsidized rate.

Don't assume that you're safe from flooding just because you live on the third floor of your condo building. If a severe flood wipes out the ground floor of your building, all of the other units in the building (including your own) may become uninhabitable as well.

Flood insurance rates are calculated based on a variety of factors, including FEMA flood zone , structure elevation, and building construction. Policies can be purchased for contents only, building only, or both contents and building coverage. Getting an Elevation Certificate will help agents properly rate your policy.

Flood insurance has a 30 day wait period before coverage starts, so you will not be insured if you wait until a flood forecast to take out your policy.

On March 21, 2014 the President signed the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014. This law may have impacts to your flood insurance rates. The County recommends that you check with your insurance agent to verify any changes to your policy.

Did you know?
Nearly 20% of flood insurance claims come from areas that are not in a special flood hazard area.

Flood Insurance Eligibility:

You are eligible to purchase flood insurance as long as your community participates in the National Flood Insurance Program. You are also eligible for a discounted rate if your community participates in the Community Rating System.

Community Rating System (CRS)

Did You Know?
By providing flood information and services and participating in the CRS, Pinellas County residents will save over $5.3 million dollars a year on flood insurance policy premiums beginning May 1, 2016.

To encourage communities to establish a floodplain management program that recognizes and encourages floodplain management activities that exceed the minimum National Flood Insurance Program requirements, the Community Rating System was created. This program provides communities with discounts to flood insurance rates.

Pinellas County actively participates in the NFIP and the CRS on behalf of residents living in unincorporated areas. From October 2014 to September 2015, an audit was conducted on the County’s Community Rating System (CRS) program by Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO), contractors for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Prior to this audit, Pinellas County was a Class 7, which provided residents and businesses in the unincorporated limits of the County’s Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) a 15% discount on their flood insurance premiums.

The result of this audit was an increase in rating from a Class 7 to a Class 5. As of May 1, 2016, residents and businesses of the unincorporated limits of the County’s SFHA will receive a 25% discount on their flood insurance premiums, saving them over $5,300,000 annually.

When you renew your Flood Insurance Policy, please check for your "Community Rating Number" stated on your policy. Should your policy indicate something other than five (5), and you live in the unincorporated area of the County, please call your insurance agent in order to correct the error. Unincorporated Pinellas County residents should receive a 25% reduction for properties in the SFHA and a 10% discount outside the SFHA. Visit the Pinellas County Flood Map Service Center to find out what flood zone your property is in.

If your property is not in Unincorporated Pinellas County, contact your municipality or visit http://www.floridadisaster.org/mitigation/CRS/ to find out what class your community is.

CRS classes and premium discounts:

CRS Class	In SFHA (Zones A, AE, A1-A30, V, V1-V30, AO and AH	Outside SFHA (Zones X, B, C, A99, AR and D)
1	45%	10%
2	40%	10%
3	35%	10%
4	30%	10%
5	25%	10%
6	20%	10%
7	15%	5%
8	10%	5%
9	5%	5%
10	0	0

Resources:

Program For Public Information
For more information about flood insurance program, visit the National Flood Insurance Program.
For information about flood preparedness, flood insurance and to estimate your premium visit Floodsmart.gov.
For more information on the benefits of the Community Rating system visit Community Rating System.
For information about why is an elevation certificate is important visit Elevation Certificate.
Nationa Flood Insurance Program Summary of Coverage
- En Español version
Flood Insurance Claims Handbook