NFIP Map Revision Eligibility

The Map Revision Exception allows certain NFIP policyholders to qualify for a reduced waiting period when a building's flood zone designation changes due to a FEMA map revision. This exception reduces the standard 30-day waiting period to a 1-day waiting period, provided the eligibility requirements are met.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for the Map Revision Exception, the following conditions must be satisfied:

Requirement	Description
FEMA Flood Map Change	The exception applies only when NFIP Maps are revised.
New SFHA Designation	The revision results in a building being newly designated within a Special Flood Hazard Area where it was previously not in one.
Application within 13 Months	The insurer must receive the Application Form (or endorsement request) and the full amount due within 13 months from the effective date of the flood map revision.
Eligible Buildings	The exception applies to all eligible buildings, including those owned by condominium associations.

If these eligibility requirements are not met, then the Standard 30-day Waiting Period will apply.

Flood Map Changes

For a property to qualify under this exception, there must be a physical change in the Flood Hazard Boundary Map (FHBM) or Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) that results in a zone designation change for a specific building. This means that:

1. The previous flood zone did not classify the property within an SFHA.
2. The updated flood map now places the property inside an SFHA.

New SFHA Designation

For a property to qualify under this exception, there must be a physical change in the Flood Hazard Boundary Map (FHBM) or Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) that results in a zone designation change for a specific building. This means that:

1. The previous flood zone did not classify the property within an SFHA.
2. The updated flood map now places the property inside an SFHA.

Eligible Scenarios

Before the Map Revision	After the Map Revision
Example 1: FHBM to Zone AE
A homeowner’s property was located in a Flood Hazard Boundary Map, meaning flood insurance was optional.	A new Flood Insurance Rate Map was created for the community that placed the home in Zone AE (a SFHA).
Example 2: Zone B to Zone VE
A coastal property was in Zone B, which carries a lower flood risk and does not require flood insurance for federally backed loans.	Due to erosion and updated flood modeling, FEMA reclassifies the area as Zone VE, a high-risk coastal flood zone.

Ineligible Scenarios

1. No Change in SFHA Status
   • If a property was already within an SFHA before the map revision and remains in an SFHA after, it does not qualify for the exception.
   • Example: A home was in Zone AE before the update, and the new map still shows it in Zone AE.
2. Zone Change That Does Not Increase Flood Risk
   • If a property moves from one SFHA designation to another, but there is no significant increase in flood risk, it may not qualify.
   • Example: A property shifts from Zone AE to Zone AO, both of which are SFHAs. This may not be considered a significant change.
3. Zone Change That Lowers Flood Risk
   • If a property is removed from an SFHA (e.g., Zone AE to Zone X), the exception does not apply because flood insurance is now optional.