Frequently Asked Questions
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What is a Flood Zone Determination, and why is this service needed?
A Flood Zone Determination (FZD) is an assessment of a property’s risk for
flooding as determined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FZDs
are made by locating properties in question on Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs)
or Flood Hazard Boundary Maps (FHBMs) published by FEMA and include such data
elements as Flood Zone, Base Flood Elevation or Depth (if determined), FEMA
Community and Map information, and the property’s eligibility for flood
insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
The Federal Disaster Protection Act of 1973 and Flood Insurance Reform Act of
1994 mandate that lenders determine the need for flood insurance by identifying
mortgage properties on federal flood maps and ensuring that coverage is kept in
force for the life of the loan.
In addition, FZDs are utilized by flood insurance professionals to rate and
write insurance policies, and by property appraisers to complete the Uniform
Residential Appraisal Report (URAR).
For more information on flood terms and their definitions, please see the
Glossary of Terms.
What are “flood zones” and what do they mean?
Flood Zones are geographical areas designated on FEMA flood maps that reflect
the risk of flooding in the area.
The following Flood Zones are considered Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) for
which mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements apply:
Zone A
Areas of 100-year flood; no Base Flood Elevations determined.
Zone AE and A1-A30
Areas of 100-year flood; Base Flood Elevations determined.
Zone AH
Areas of 100-year shallow flooding with flood depths of 1 to 3 feet (usually
areas of ponding); Base Flood Elevations determined.
Zone AO
Areas of 100-year shallow flooding (usually as a result of sheet flow on sloping
terrain) with flood depths of 1 to 3 feet. Includes areas of alluvial fan
flooding; velocities also determined.
Zone AR
Areas protected from flood hazards by flood control structures, such as levees,
that are being restored. Upon restoration of subject flood control structures,
the AR area will be revised and shown as being protected from the 100-year
flood; Base Flood Elevations/Depths may be determined.
Zone A99
Areas to be protected from 100-year flood by Federal flood protection system
under construction; no Base Flood Elevations determined.
Zone V
Areas of 100-year coastal flood associated with storm waves; no Base Flood
Elevations determined.
Zone VE and V1-V30
Areas of 100-year coastal flood associated with storm waves; Base Flood
Elevations determined.
The following zones are not considered SFHAs and mandatory flood insurance
purchase requirements do not apply; however, FEMA still recommends the purchase
of flood insurance for these zones:
Zone B
Areas between limits of the 100-year flood and 500-year flood; certain areas
subject to 100-year flooding with average depths less than one (1) foot or where
the contributing drainage area is less than one square mile; areas protected by
levees from the base flood. Also may be represented as “BX”, or “Shaded X”.
Zone C
Areas outside the 100-year floodplain with chance of minimal flooding.
Zone D
Areas in which flood hazards are undetermined.
Zone “NONE”
Areas in which flood hazards are undetermined and/or no NFIP map is published.
Zone X
Areas outside the 500-year flood plain; areas of 500-year flood; areas of
100-year flood with average depths of less than 1 foot or with drainage areas
less than 1 square mile; areas protected by levees from 100-year flood. Includes
non-shaded areas (equivalent to zone C and may be represented as CX) and shaded
areas (equivalent to zone B and may be represented as BX).
For more information on flood terms and their definitions, please see the
Glossary of Terms
How does SLNF perform Flood Zone Determinations (FZDs)?
ServiceLink National Flood completes all FZDs using digital and hard copy FEMA Flood Insurance Rate
Maps (FIRMs) and Flood Hazard Boundary Maps (FHBMs) in conjunction with
geocoding technology, street maps, tax and plat maps, and aerial and satellite
photography. SLNF bases all FZDs on the location of each property’s insurable
improvements.
How are FEMA maps kept current?
In order to ensure that only the most current and effective data is provided and
to identify properties affected by flood map updates, ServiceLink National Flood
dedicates a team of specialists to maintaining a database of all current FEMA
flood map information, which is consolidated from five government sources and
updated on a daily basis.
How long does it take to get a FZD?
Flood information is processed through our national flood certification database
and returned in real-time in most instances. Flood zone determinations that are
not completed automatically will be manually researched and are usually returned
within 8 hours. A status update will be provided for FZDs not returned within 24
hours as notification of the reason for delay.
Does SLNF guarantee the accuracy of FZDs?
Yes. Each flood zone determination is backed by an Errors and Omissions policy.
How long has ServiceLink National Flood been in business?
ServiceLink National Flood was established in 1988. For more information about ServiceLink
National Flood, please see the Company Profile.