Flood Zones
You're in a 'Special' Flood hazard zone if the area you're in has more than a one in a hundred chance of flooding this year. One chance in a hundred in any one year works out to the virtual certainty of 3 floods during a thirty year mortgage. Most of us are in a less likely zone. The non hazard zones are 'B', 'C', 'X', and a few others. The hazard zones (slightly higher premium) 'A'anything and 'O'anything. Your insurance company or your surveyor can tell you what zone you're in. sometimes you're building and zoning department can too. The usual solution to being in a flood zone is to build at a height that the flood waters won't reach. It's not as expensive as it sounds. And it pays for itself in reduced insurance premiums. But it takes a survey.