Before 1968, the federal government’s flood initiatives consisted of disaster relief to victims in the event of a flood, or flood control projects such as dams, levees and seawalls.

While well-intentioned, this approach did little to ease the financial burden of most flood victims. Worse, the public couldn’t buy flood coverage from most insurance companies, which regarded floods as too costly to insure.

Congress established the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to address both the need for flood insurance and the need to lessen the devastating consequences of flooding. The goals of the program are twofold: to protect communities from potential flood damage through floodplain management, and to provide people with flood insurance.

For decades, the NFIP has been offering flood insurance to homeowners, renters and business owners, with the one condition that their communities adopt and enforce measures to help reduce the consequences of flooding.

Flood insurance is the best protection that home and business owners have against the devastating financial losses that floods cause. In Kern county, cities such as Bakersfield, Arvin, Lamont, Tehachapi and others, run a risk of Flood.  With the latest studies on the Lake Isabella dam, an Earthquake, or just the condition of the Dam, can cause a major break in the Dam, and a major part of Kern County can be under water.  Every year we also run a risk with rain.  Caliente Creek can overflow, and flood the cities along its path.  With the recent fires, most of the vegetation that helped when the river overflowed, is no longer there.  With Nature you can never be to certain it wont happen to you. For more information, contact us at (661) 872-5933 and/or (661) 854-2640.

You can also visit us at one of our offices to better serve you.

Bakersfield                             Arvin

2666 Mt Vernon Ave Ste. B     803 Bear Mountain Blvd.

Bakersfield, CA. 93306            Arvin, CA. 93203

Did you know that your Homeowners policy does not cover Flood? 

"Flood Happens"

Definition of Flood in insurance:

Damage caused by flooding waters between two properties.  Ex: your property is flooded by water from your neighbors property, Fire Hydrant, Natural occurrence, Dam/Levee breaking, etc...

FLOOD ZONES

Everyone lives in some type of flood zone. These are geographic areas that FEMA defines, based on studies of flood risk. The zone boundaries are shown on flood hazard maps, also called Flood Insurance Rate Maps. Below are brief definitions of the FEMA flood zones.  Most of Kern County (Arvin, Lamont, Bakersfield, Caliente, Edison, Tehachapi, and other cities) are in the High Risk Zones.

LOW-TO-MODERATE RISK ZONES (Non-Special Flood Hazard Areas)

In communities that participate in the NFIP, flood insurance is available to all property owners and renters with low-to-moderate risk of a major flood. A major flood is defined as a flood with a 1% annual chance of occurring.  Zones B, C, and X

• Areas outside the 1% annual flood risk floodplain
• Areas of 1% annual shallow flooding risk where average depths are less than 1 foot
• Areas of 1% annual stream flooding risk where the contributing drainage area is less than 1 square mile
• Areas protected by levees from the 1% annual flood risk. Insurance purchase is not required in these zones.

HIGH-RISK ZONES (Special Flood Hazard Areas)

In communities that participate in the NFIP, all homeowners in Zone A (high-risk) areas are required to get flood insurance in order to get a loan from a federally regulated lender. These areas have a 26% chance of flooding over the life of a 30-year mortgage.

Zone A

Areas with a 1% annual flood risk and a 26% risk of flooding over the life of a 30-year mortgage. Because detailed analyses are not performed for such areas, no depths or base flood elevations are shown within these zones.

Zone AE and A1-A30

Areas subject to a 1% or greater annual chance of flooding in any given year. Base flood elevations are shown as derived from detailed analyses. (Zone AE is used on new and revised maps in place of Zones A1-A30).

Zone AH

Areas subject to a 1% or greater annual chance of shallow flooding in any given year. Flooding is usually in the form of ponding, with the average depths between one and three feet. Base flood elevations are shown as derived from detailed analyses.

Zone AR

Areas subject to a 1% or greater annual chance of flooding in any given year, which results from a temporary increased flood risk due to the building or restoration of a flood control system (such as a levee or a dam).

Zone A99

Areas subject to a 1% or greater annual chance of flooding in any given year, but which ultimately will be protected by completion of a flood protection system under construction. No base flood elevations or flood depths are shown.

Zone V

Coastal areas with a 1% or greater flood risk and an additional hazard associated with storm waves. Because no detailed analyses have been performed of these areas, no base flood elevations are shown.

Zone VE and V1-30

Coastal areas with a 1% or greater flood risk and an additional hazard associated with storm waves. Base flood elevations are shown as derived from detailed analyses. (Zone AE is used on new and revised maps in place of Zones A1-A30).

UNDETERMINED-RISK ZONES

Zone D

In areas of possible but undetermined flood risk, flood insurance rates reflect the uncertainty of the flood risk.

For comprehensive flood zone definitions, visit the NFIP Web site. If you’d like additional information, contact your agent or find an agent serving your area by filling out the Flood Risk Profile to the left.