• Base Flood
• Base Flood Elevation
• Community
• Elevation Certificate
• FEMA
• Flood
• Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM)
• Floodplain
• Insurable Improvements
• Lender Identification Number (Lender ID)
• Life of Loan Maintenance
• Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA)
• Letter of Map Revision (LOMR)
• Multiple Flood Zones
• National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
• On-Site Determination
• Participating Community
• Partial Determination
• Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA
• Zones (A, B, C, X, V)

Base Flood: Also referred to as the 100-year flood, it is a flood having a 1 percent probability of occurring in any given year.

Base Flood Elevation (BFE): It is the ground elevation that establishes the boundary of a Special Flood Hazard Area. Any structure with a ground level at or above this elevation would not be in a Special Flood Hazard Area.

Community: Under the NFIP, a community is a political entity that has authority to adopt and enforce floodplain ordinances for the area under its jurisdiction.

Elevation Certificate: The Elevation Certificate is a document used to provide elevation information necessary to determine the proper insurance premium rate, or to support a request for a Letter of Map Amendment or Letter of Map Revision.

FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is the federal agency under which the NFIP is administered.

Flood: A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of normally dry land areas from the overflow of inland or tidal waters or from the unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source.

Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM): Insurance and floodplain management map issued by FEMA that identifies areas of 100-year flood hazard in a community. In some areas, the map also shows base flood elevations and 500-year floodplain boundaries and, occasionally, regulatory floodway boundaries. These maps are also referred to as Flood Maps.

Floodplain: Any land area susceptible to being inundated by floodwaters from any source.

Insurable Improvements: Under the NFIP, this means a walled and roofed building with at least two rigid exterior walls or a building in the course of construction that qualifies for insurance coverage or a manufactured home anchored to resist floatation.

Lender Identification Number (Lender ID): For FDIC insured lenders this is their FDIC Certificate Number and for Federally insured credit unions it is their charter/insurance number. This number should be included on a flood determination.

Life of Loan Maintenance: A service provided by flood companies that monitors the flood hazard status of a secured structure for the term of the loan.

Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA): An amendment to the effective FEMA map, which establishes that a property is not located in a Special Flood Hazard Area. It is used when the natural topography at the time that the map was issued elevates the insurable improvements above the BFE. A LOMA is issued only by FEMA.

Letter of Map Revision (LOMR): An amendment to the currently effective FEMA map which revises flood zones on the map after such activity as grading or filling raises the level of the ground above the BFE. A LOMR is issued only by FEMA.

Multiple Flood Zones: More than one flood zone affecting a property.

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP): Federal program to identify flood prone areas nationwide and make flood insurance available to the owners and leasers of property in the communities that participate in the program.

Nonparticipating Community: A community that does not participate in the NFIP program. NFIP insurance is not available in a non participating community.

On-Site Determination: A service provided by Midwest Flood Zones LLC in which a field inspector goes to a property that is affected by multiple flood zones and completes a flood zone determination.

Participating Community: A community participating in the NFIP. NFIP flood insurance is available in all areas of participating communities.

Partial Determination: An incomplete determination provided by some flood companies to indicate that a property is partially affected a SFHA.

Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA): Darkly shaded area on a flood map that identifies an area that has a 1 percent chance of being flooded in any given year (100-year floodplain). Over a 30-year period there is a 26 percent chance that this area will be flooded.

Standard Flood Hazard Determination Form (SFHDF): A one page standard form for recording the results of the determination of whether a building or mobile home is located in a SFHA.

Zones:
A: Areas subject to inundation by the 100-year flood event. Mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements apply.
B, C, and X: Areas identified in the community as areas of moderate or minimal hazard from the principal source of flood in the area. Flood insurance is available in participating communities but is not required by regulation. (Zone X is used on new and revised maps in place of Zones B and C.)
D: Unstudied areas where flood hazards are undetermined, but flooding is possible. No mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements apply, but coverage is available in participating communities.
V: Areas along coasts subject to inundation be the 100-year flood event with additional hazards associated with storm-induced waves. Mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements apply.