PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — When was the last time you checked your flood zone for your Pinellas County home?
It may be time to check again because the county's new flood zone maps are now in effect.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) developed the new plans by re-examining Pinellas County's coastal flood zones and creating new digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs).
The new maps take into account how properties are built and may affect owners of properties susceptible to flooding from the Gulf, Tampa Bay, and inland areas near waterways connected to the Gulf or Bay.
These changes are important, as they may affect homeowner's insurance policies and premiums.
Flood insurance is mandatory for properties in designated high-risk flood zones. But don't panic — buildings newly mapped into a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) may be eligible for a lower premium.
Plus, homeowners who now find themselves in a high-risk flood zone have options to be grandfathered into the system and calculate rates based on the flood map in effect at the time of the home's construction.
To see where your home lands in the new flood zone map, visit floodmaps.pinellascounty.org.
