Flood insurance rate map
Americans across the map routinely have flood problems. It's much more regular an occurrence than most would think: all it takes is a heavy rainfall and a leaky basement to see thousands of dollars worth of personal belongings ruined. At that rate it's irresponsible not to get insurance covering for a flood.
So why don't people get it more often? The big problem is price. This insurance costs lots of money. But it's also a necessity in many cases. To best determine how at risk you are, normally you'd check your home for previous signs of flooding (or even previous experiences: few people will forget their basement being flooded with water at a tremendous rate). For a definitive check on your home, however, you should look at a flood insurance rate map, as issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (or FEMA).
FEMA developed this map against the growing threat of flooded homes. Each map is custom-made for separate areas, allowing the residents intimate knowledge of how much risk of a flood they are facing. They can then decide accordingly whether or not they want insurance.
But how can FEMA determine the likelihood of a flood when the average joe can't?
FEMA uses a fairly complex system to develop a flood insurance rate map. With assistance from local authorities, scientists, a range of advanced equipment and good old fashioned statistics, FEMA compiles information from a given area and determines a rate upon which the area is likely to experience flooding in case of large amounts of rain or a natural disaster. These maps are also used in determining whether or not an area is eligible for low cost insurance premiums in regards to an excess of flooding over the course of a year.
It's important to note that every American can benefit from looking at a flood insurance rate map of their region, not just those in high risk areas. There may be high-risk elements of a neighborhood that residents are unaware of. To best protect your home, be sure to at least consider insurance that protects against a flood.