What is Flood Zone AE?
Updated: Apr 10
FEMA works with local county or city officials to map flood zones in your area. Any area where flooding in more likely to occur is part of a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). A letter designation is provided to identify the risk for homes inside the SFHA. One of these is Flood Zone AE, which is considered a high-risk flood zone on a FEMA Flood Map due to its elevation and proximity to floodplains, lakes, rivers and/or other bodies of water.
AE Flood Zones, according to FEMA estimates, are areas that present a 1% chance of flooding per year. This may not seem like a high probability, but let’s look at it another way. A 1% annual risk for flooding would equate to a 26% chance of flooding over the life of a 30-year mortgage.
Does Flood Zone AE Require Flood Insurance? If FEMA has designated your home as being in Flood Zone AE, it is in a high-risk flood zone. If you have a federally backed mortgage, you will be required by your lender to purchase flood insurance. Also, any property with a flood zone designation beginning with A, A1-A30, AH or AO is also considered a high-risk flood zone, and flood insurance will be mandatory. To find out if your home is in one of these “A” flood zones, please visit our Flood Map Tool. Keep in mind that if any part of your property overlaps one of these high-risk flood zones, your mortgage lender will require you to purchase flood insurance.
How Much is Flood Insurance in Flood Zone AE?
The cost of flood insurance for a property in flood zone AE can vary greatly, and is dependent on many factors. One factor is the Base Flood Elevation, or BFE During the mapping process, FEMA establishes a Base Flood Elevation (BFE), which is the anticipated elevation to which flood waters will rise doing a flood. Carriers will compare the BFE to the elevation of the lowest level of the home, for example, the first floor or the basement. If that number is negative, the rate will be higher. Other factors used to rate the cost of the policy are the distance to water, the coverage requested and more. It’s best to quote each property individually to get an accurate premium. Go to our quote tool, or give us a call to review the cost to protect your home against flood damage.
How can I save money on flood insurance for a home in Flood Zone AE? The best way to save money is to speak to a flood insurance expert. If your flood policy is with the NFIP, a private flood insurance policy can be a good way to save money Our quote system uses true risk analysis to compare several flood insurance carriers to make sure we find the right flood insurance policy for your home. If you’d like us to compare the rates and do the shopping for you, give us a call!
Here are two clients that used FloodPrice to help shop for a lower rate for flood insurance:
If you’re looking to save money on Flood Insurance, give us a call at 866-503-5663. We can shop for the best rates and make sure you’re getting the coverage you need, at a low price. Or, use our quote system to shop our private flood insurance!
