Be Flood Ready: Know Your Flood Zone and Have Flood Coverage

June 2024

Each year, it's crucial to emphasize the necessity of maintaining flood insurance, particularly given our Island's susceptibility to hurricanes. Flooding can occur unpredictably and cause major damage. In Hilton Head Island, flooding may stem from various natural phenomena like hurricanes, storm surges, high tides, and heavy rainfall. Preparedness is critical to mitigating flood-related damages.

As part of our Town's flood program, we dedicate effort to educating residents on safeguarding their properties, regardless of whether they reside in high-risk zones. Through our participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), we ensure that federal flood insurance remains accessible to all residents. This program mandates construction techniques to minimize flood damage in areas prone to periodic flooding, as delineated on Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). Referred to as the 100-year floodplain, this designation encompasses over 80 percent of the Island. It's imperative to acquaint yourself with your flood zone, potential risks, and associated hazards.

It bears repeating: flood insurance is available to all residents and it is a separate policy. Unlike standard homeowner insurance policies, flood insurance provides critical coverage of damages resulting from flooding, flood-related erosion, and flood-caused mudslides. Review your policy thoroughly; separate coverage is available for building structures and contents. You need not hold a mortgage to purchase flood insurance; renters can procure contents coverage to safeguard personal belongings, irrespective of whether the property owner invests in structural coverage.

Furthermore, any house within an NFIP-participating community is eligible for flood insurance coverage, even if it is located outside high-risk zones. Homes facing lower flood risks qualify for a Preferred Risk Policy. For further details on purchasing flood insurance, visit www.Floodsmart.gov or consult a local licensed insurance agent for optimal rates.

Our community's commitment to sound floodplain management practices has earned us a Class 5 rating from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Community Rating System (CRS). This rating not only reflects our effective flood management but also translates to a potential 25 percent discount on flood insurance premiums for Hilton Head Island property owners. Since 1991, our Town has been actively involved in FEMA's CRS Program, which evaluates communities based on their effectiveness in managing floodplains. This includes public information dissemination, mapping and regulatory standards, flood damage mitigation, and flood preparedness.

Certified floodplain managers are on hand to furnish information and address inquiries regarding local drainage issues, coastal erosion, flood map determinations, flood risk assessments, flood elevation certificates, Flood Insurance Rate Maps, and construction requirements in particular flood hazard areas. Annually, we dispatch flood management information to all residences, furnishing strategies for flood preparedness. Our lead floodplain administrator, Shari Mendrick, stands ready to field any queries from the public about flooding. She can be reached at 843-341-4697 or via email at ShariM@hiltonheadislandsc.gov.