Massachusetts Property Surveys for Flood Insurance

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, many homeowners are faced with substantial property damage and wondering just how they will recover.  The truth of the matter is that less than a fifth of U.S. homeowners have flood insurance. With federally-backed loans for properties located within flood plains, owners are required to have flood insurance but many do not. Many property owners mistakenly believe that they’ll be covered by their standard homeowner’s policy in the event of flooding. Though all properties may be at risk for flooding and flood damage, particularly in the face of serious storms like Sandy, not all properties are in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) as designated by the National Flood Insurance Program. A property survey by a licensed Massachusetts land surveyor can determine if your property is in an SFHA and if flood insurance is required. In some cases, property owners are told that their home is in an SFHA and that they will need flood insurance, but the property survey reveals that they are not in a flood zone. In these cases, we can complete an elevation certificate and submit an ELOMA or LOMA to FEMA to remove the structure from the flood zone and thus relieve you of your flood insurance requirement. For help in determining if your property is in a flood zone or SFHA, contact us today at (617) 899-0703.