What risk zone is the building in (on the Flood Insurance Rate Map or FIRM)?
Three types of risk zones on the FIRM are used in determining the insurance premium: • Areas of minimal flood risk. These are the X zones on recent maps and C zones on older maps. The X zones include areas with 0.2% annual risk, formerly known and mapped as B zones. The B zones have been rolled into the X-zone category. Properties in B, C or X zones may qualify for a Preferred Risk flood insurance policy. • Areas at risk from water with little or no waves (not exceeding 3-foot crest height). These are the A zones on both new and old maps. • Areas at risk from water that has waves 3 feet or higher. The wave action imposes a different force on a structure than water without wave action. These are the V zones, typically found along coastlines and lakeshores. How many times has the building flooded? Strange as it may seem, the flood history of a structure has no bearing on the flood insurance premiums in special flood hazard areas (A and V zones). At worst, a history of flooding will disqu
