Flood Insurance and Your Home

TAYLOR LAMBERT October 21, 2025

So your home is required to pay for flood insurance, but you want to contest it because you haven't seen a single flood in decades? Here's what you can do!

1) Verify your address on FEMA Flood Map. See your house in shaded blue? Then yes, you will most likely still be subject to flood insurance. If you don't see your house flagged under Special Flood Hazard Areas or still would like to contest, then do the following:.

2) Reach out to your local Building/Planning Department. Provide your parcel or home address and ask if there's an Elevation Certificate on file. If there is one, you can submit this document to your lender to potentially get out of flood insurance or lower your annual premiums. This document is used by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to determine a property's flood risk and help calculate flood insurance premiums. If you're already mortgage-free, then legally, you're not required to get insurance for your home. It's risky, so still highly recommended that you get insurance coverage!

3) No Elevation Certificate found? Hire a licensed land surveyor, civil engineer, or architect to complete an elevation certificate for you. Make sure you verify their license here. Having this document might help lower your premiums or not paying for flood insurance at all.