A
acronyms
Please refer to Addendum I on NFIP commonly used acronyms.
acre-foot
A measurement of reservoir water storage. An acre-foot covers an acre one foot deep and contains 325,900 gallons.
act
Means the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 as well as any and all changes to the Act made since its introduction.
actual cash value
This term refers to the full replacement cost of an item, minus the amount of physical depreciation at the time a covered loss (flood) occurs.
alluvial fan
A fan-shaped deposit of sand, mud or other materials.
alluvium
Sand, mud and other materials that are deposited by flowing water.
application
Means the written statement the insured person completed and signed for the purpose of getting a flood policy and which FEMA relied upon to issue the coverage. The application must be signed by either the insured or by an agent. IMPORTANT: The application is considered part of the policy; so any inaccurate statements may, if discovered, either alter the premium or, more seriously, void coverage.
ASFPM
See Association of State Flood Plain Managers.
association
Refers to the persons (unit owners) who manage the condominium building occupied by a covered condominium unit owner.
Association of State Flood Plain Managers
This is an organization of specialists with expertise in the flood peril. This group focuses upon mitigating flood losses, managing flood plains, the National Flood Insurance Program, and flood preparedness, warning and recovery.
B
base flood
For any given community or area, the flood that becomes the standard of measurement of a covered occurrence. Specifically, the flood that has a probability of one percent of being either equaled or exceeded.
basement
Refers to ANY area of a covered building which has a floor that is below ground level (subgrade) on all sides.
(Editorís note: It is important to understand that absolutely any area that is subgrade on all sides is, by policy definition, a basement; this applies even if the area is a sunken portion of a ground level floor or even if the area is completely "finished.")
boil
A danger point on the landward side of a levee where water is seeping under; threatening to breach.
building
This definition includes a defined term, "walled and roofed structure." As far as the flood policy is concerned, a building may include:
* walled and roofed structures (as defined) which are primarily above the ground and are permanently attached to the ground
* manufactured homes on a permanent foundation
* mobile homes on a permanent foundation
* walled and roofed building that is being built, altered or repaired.
bypass
An area of low-lying ground, commonly farmland, that carries floodwater downstream when rivers reach their flow capacities.
C
cancellation
Refers to coverage that terminates before the policy's ending date.
Coastal Barrier Resources Act. The
The Coastal Barrier Resources Act of 1982 prohibits the use of federal development assistance, including federal flood insurance, on property included in the System. While the act does not prevent property in coastal barriers from being developed, it helps to slow or discourage development by prohibiting the use of federal funds, including insurance and loans, from being used to build new property or replace or repair damaged property.
Coastal Barrier Resources System
The Coastal Barrier Resources System consists of coastal barrier units delineated on maps adopted by Congress and, originally, created by the Coastal Barrier Resources Act of 1982.
coastal barriers
Landscape features such as fringing mangroves, tombolos, barrier islands, barrier spits, and bay barriers that protect the mainland, lagoons, wetlands and salt marshes from the damaging effects of full force wind, wave and tidal energy. These areas frequently attract land development for resort and recreational use because of their climate and natural beauty.
coastal high hazard area
If there is any area that is prone to experience dangerous waters such as tsunamis (tidal waves) or hurricane-stirred waters it qualifies as coastal high hazard.
Community Rating System
This is a rating plan that recognizes a community's voluntary efforts to manage their exposure to being flooded. Communities that are active in activities such as mapping and regulations, flood damage reduction, flood preparedness or public awareness "receive" reductions in their flood insurance premiums. The CRS uses discounts that run in five percent increments, from five percent to 45 percent. Similar to a fire protection class plan, CRS class ratings range from Ten to One (all communities start out as a "Ten") and the higher a community's flood protection activity, the lower its class rating.
Community Status Book
Each state and U.S. territory has a status book that identifies which communities are participants in the NFIP, including whether the community is in the regular or emergency program.
condominium
Refers to any multiunit residential structures where the single units are individually owned and the group of owners share equal interest in the buildings outer structure and any common property areas.
condominium association policy
Means a valid National Flood Insurance Policy that is sold to cover a group of owners who belong to a condominium association.
Cover America
Is the name of a nationwide marketing and advertising campaign. It was begun by the FIA in 1995 with the intent to increase participation in the flood program for both insurance companies and consumers by creating greater awareness of the flood program.
cubic feet per second
A common way to measure water flows. A cubic foot of water is 7.48 gallons. One cubic foot per second is 450 gallons per minute and accumulates 1.98 acre-feet per day.
D
danger stage
In reference to rivers with levees, this occurs when the river is one foot above flood stage. There is danger to life and property in the event of a levee failure.
declarations page
The policy coverage page that summarizes the coverage provided by the policy and includes the identifying information on the insured and the covered property as supplied by the policy application. Note that the definition says that the declarations must be computer-generated, which must mean that handwritten or typed declarations would not qualify as declaration pages.
direct physical loss by or from flood
Any direct physical damage to covered property that is caused by flooding.
dwelling
Includes residences designed for up to four families and single condo-units.
| A | A1-30 | A99 |
| AE | AH | AO |
| AR | AR/A | AR/A1-30 |
| AR/AE | AR/AH | AR/AO |
| E | M | V |
| V1-30 | VE | VO |
FMSIS
Flood Map Status Information System. A software package that is available from FEMA. The system encourages the use of updated flood map panels and monitors community status.
FPI
Force placed insurance.
FZD
flood zone determination
G, H
No entries.
I
improvements
Includes any additional structural features that are part of either a building or a single condo unit.
J
JFR
The Joint Final Rule is intended to make uniform all regulations and guidelines for implementing the statutory requirements of the National Flood Insurance Reform (or 1994) Act. This Rule was required by statute and establishes:
* new escrow requirements for flood insurance premiums
* requirements for lenders and servicers to "force place" coverage
* updated requirements for notices to borrowers, servicers, and insurance providers
* new authority for Lenders to charge fees for flood zone determinations
* miscellaneous provisions necessary to implement the 1994 Act.
K
No entries.
L
levee
An embankment of earth along a riverbank designed to protect low-lying land from flooding.
Life of Loan Report
A determination which is tracked for future map panel revisions. Changes that occur after the initial document are automatically reported.
LOMA
Letter Of Map Amendment. Describes FEMA's reviewing the accuracy of a current effective panel to determine if a structure was incorrectly placed within a SFHA. A LOMA amends the current effective FEMA map and establishes that the property is not in a SFHA.
LOMR
A LOMR is an official revision to the current effective FEMA map. It is used to change flood zones, floodplain and floodway delineations, flood elevations, and other features. A LOMR is usually followed by a physical map revision.
M
manufactured home
Means either a mobile home attached to a permanent foundation or a residence that is built at a remote location and then transported and permanently installed at its current site.
mobile home
Is defined to be a "manufactured home."
N
National Flood Insurance Program
Means the flood coverage and land management program originally authorized and subsequently amended as the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968.
NN
A community which is NOT participating in the NFIP and has no published flood hazard map panel.
NSFHA
No special flood hazard areas
O
No entries.
P
partial determination
A flood zone determination which cannot be accurately completed until a Survey or Site plan is forwarded.
policy
Refers to the set of documents including the actual flood policy, declarations page and application; as well as any coverage supplements (endorsements) and renewal certificates.
post-FIRM building
Any building started, built, or experiencing substantial improvement after either 12/1/74 or the date that its community's initial FIRM (Flood Insurance Rate Map) became effective.
pre-FIRM rated building
Any building started, built, or experiencing substantial improvement before either 12/1/74 or before the date that its community's initial FIRM (Flood Insurance Rate Map) became effective.
probation additional premium
Refers to an additional, flat charge that's made for every term for a policy covering a property located in a community that has been placed under probation. In essence, a premium surcharge that results from any deficiency that created the probation action.
project impact
This project focuses on preventing flood damage by building stronger, safer communities before disaster strikes and encouraging the involvement of citizens, community organizations, business and industry, all levels of government, and the media.
Q
No entries.
R
regular program community
Any community that has a FIRM and has full flood coverage available at regular premiums.
repetitive loss structure
Any eligible building covered by a flood policy under the Act's provisions for property that has suffered more than one flood loss and the loss amount was more than 25% of the property's market value. The special coverage lasts for 10 years after the occurrence to the second flood loss.
residential condominium building
Refers to a building that belongs to a condominium association if at least 75% of the building's floor area is residential.
S
sloughing
An area of levee that sustains loss of material from its top or side.
special hazard area
An area that is particularly vulnerable to flood damages and which is designated with a special zoning code on either a FHBM or a FIRM.
T
No entries.
U
unit
A single dwelling unit that is part of a condominium building that is individually owned by a flood policyholder.
V
valued policy
This term refers to a flood policy that has a limit of insurance that was determined as a mutually agreed-upon amount to be paid if the insured suffers a total flood loss.