GetFloodFluent.org Updated with New Flood Insurance Estimator
(Hampton Roads, Va., June 5, 2023) – In the time it takes to scroll through social media or search for your car keys, you could estimate the cost to insure your home or business from flooding by using the new Flood Insurance Estimator at GetFloodFluent.org.
Revamped this year to align with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) update of the National Flood Insurance Program’s risk-rating methodology (Risk Rating 2.0), the online tool provides users with an assessment of insuring their home and belongings from flooding based on answers to a few questions.
“With the updated Flood Insurance Estimator, Hampton Roads residents can obtain a more targeted and unique estimate, taking into consideration their home’s distance to local waterways, ground elevation, first-floor height and foundation type,” said Ben McFarlane, Chief Resilience Officer with the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC). “This is an easy first step in understanding the factors that determine the cost of flood insurance before you call an insurance company and select your level of coverage.”
The HRPDC launched GetFloodFluent.org in 2019 to help residents, renters and business owners separate fact from fiction when it comes to flood insurance in Hampton Roads. Using easy-to-understand language and visuals, the website and region-wide awareness campaign educates about the dangers of flooding, while providing current data and resources to help residents make sound decisions about protecting their homes from flooding.
With a busy Atlantic hurricane season on the horizon, McFarlane also wants residents to know that the uninsured cannot rely on federal disaster assistance after a flooding event. Relief is only available following a presidential disaster declaration, generally available in the form of a low-interest loan that must be repaid.
“The damage of just one inch of water in your home can cost more than $25,000 in repairs,” McFarlane said. “You could hope flooding will not impact you. Or you can protect yourself from devastating loss by signing up for flood insurance.”
In addition to hosting the Flood Insurance Estimator, GetFloodFluent.org has a wealth of information to help people understand the impacts of local flooding and learn about steps they can take, such as these, to protect their homes and businesses:
Manage rainfall on their property. Make sure gutters are clean; have downspouts direct water away from the home toward grassy areas; add and use rain barrels; and keep a proper grade around the foundation.
Install flood vents. This will help the water flow through the structure if flooding occurs, preventing structural damage to the foundation
Plant trees and shrubs. Plants stabilize the soil and soak up rainwater, preventing rapid run-off that can overwhelm ditches and stormwater pipes.
Use French drains. Dig a slightly sloped trench and fill it with gravel and a pipe to divert water away from your home.
Build smart. Add new structures outside the flood risk area, elevate critical systems like HVAC compressors, and consider using permeable patio pavers, stone, crushed shells or gravel in place of sidewalks and paving.
Create a rain garden. Select and plant native, deep-rooted species in a shallow depression near flood-prone areas, to capture and absorb rainwater and runoff.
In advance of threatening weather, it is also important for people to store important items at higher elevations, know their evacuation zone (which is different from their flood hazard zone), avoid walking and driving in flood waters and stay up to date on the latest weather conditions.
For more tips and information about flooding and hurricane preparedness specific to the Hampton Roads region, visit GetFoodFluent.org.
About GetFloodFluent.org – An initiative of the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, GetFloodFluent.org was developed by an advisory group comprised of municipal planners and emergency management staff representing all 17 local jurisdictions in Hampton Roads. Their goal is to make residents aware of the facts associated with flooding in the region and encourage them to act responsibly by making sure their homes and businesses are covered by flood insurance.
Visual assets for media use available at this link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/e3ox1w5s4u6lrsnnee255/h?dl=0&rlkey=0rroqidxfqgsk3wbjjtvc76ay