Insure your property for flood hazard

National Flood Insurance Program & Community Rating System

The City of Daytona Beach is committed to doing what is environmentally and fiscally responsible to reduce the hazard of flooding to our residents and business owners. Under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) that are used to determine areas that are more prone to flooding. These maps show the areas that are expected to be covered with water when 11 inches of rain falls in one day (24 hours). This event, known as the 100-year storm, has a 1% chance of happening in any given year. The FIRM is the official map of our community on which the Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) are delineated.

If you would like to purchase flood insurance, contact your insurance agent. Homeowner's insurance policies do not normally cover damage from floods. Flood insurance can also be obtained through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) provides federally backed flood insurance for communities that participate in the program. The NFIP established the Community Rating System (CRS) to reward the communities for doing more than the minimum NFIP requirements to reduce flood damages and losses. Flood insurance premiums are adjusted for the activities that communities initiate to educate and reduce the impact of flooding.

The city began participating in the NFIP in 1973. In May 2008, the city received a CRS Class 6 rating. A Class 6 rating allows for a 20% reduction in the cost of flood insurance for policy holders in the Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) and 10% reduction in cost for areas outside of the SFHA. For more information, please visit FloodSmart.

Insurance Coverage Facts

Flood insurance is available to homeowners, renters, condo owners/renters, and commercial owners/renters. Costs vary depending on how much insurance is purchased, what it covers and the property's flood risk.

All policy forms provide coverage for buildings and contents. However, you might want to discuss insuring personal property with your agent, since contents coverage is optional. Typically, there's a 30-day waiting period from date of purchase before your policy goes into effect. That means now is the best time to buy flood insurance. The links below cover flood insurance for residential and commercial properties. Information includes what the policy covers, rates, basics of the policy, help to find an insurance agent and questions to ask your agent. Residential Properties (Owner and Renter)

Commercial Properties

Elevation Certificates

When you purchase a flood insurance policy and your structure lies in a SFHA, your insurance professional will need an elevation certificate. The city may have a copy of an elevation certificate for a property address located inside the special flood hazard area (SFHA) built or substantially improved since 2002. Call Utilities Engineering at (386)671-8807, search by address on our interactive link Utilities Engineering or submit a request online.

Letter of Map Amendments

A Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) is an official amendment by FEMA, by letter, to an effective National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) map. A LOMA establishes a property's location in relation to the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). LOMAs are usually issued because a property has been inadvertently mapped as being in the floodplain, but is actually on natural high ground above the base flood elevation. If your structure has been granted a letter of map change (LOMA), the structure has effectively been removed from the special flood hazard area and mandatory flood insurance requirement do not apply. To determine if your property has had a letter of map change go to our interactive map to search for LOMAs and LOMRs.

The decision to purchase flood insurance should not be made solely on whether or not the property is in a flood plain, or a lender requires it. As the city experienced in May 2009 and Sept. 2014, flooding can occur in many homes and places of business, which are not in the designated flood plain. Resources

  • Information about flood insurance, flood protection and NFIP is located in the Public Library at City Island. You can call the NFIP at (888) 379-953, TDD (800) 427-5593 or visit FEMA's website.
  • The Florida Department of Insurance (DOI) has published a guide for consumers that is very informative. This guide is easy to understand and contains important information.
  • View additional information provided by the Florida Department of Insurance. Report your concerns to FEMA by calling (202) 566-1600 or sending correspondence to: 500 C Street SW, Washington, D.C. 20472