Glossary

Special flood hazard area (SFHA)

The land FEMA maps as having at least a 1% chance of flooding in any year, where lenders must require flood insurance on federally backed mortgages.

Also called: SFHA, high-risk flood area, 100-year floodplain

The special flood hazard area is the part of a floodplain that FEMA's flood map shows would be covered by the base flood, a flood with a 1% chance of occurring in any given year. On the map it is every zone beginning with A or V: A, AE, AH, AO, AR, A99, V and VE.

The SFHA matters because of the mandatory purchase rule. When a building in an SFHA secures a mortgage from a federally regulated or insured lender, the lender must require flood insurance for the life of the loan. The required amount is the lesser of the loan balance or the maximum coverage available under the NFIP. That is why a buyer may be told at closing to add a flood policy even though the homeowners quote did not mention one.

Being outside the SFHA does not make a home flood-proof, and owners outside it can still choose to buy coverage. If you believe your building was mapped in by mistake, you can request a Letter of Map Amendment from FEMA. Be aware that a lender may still require flood insurance after one is issued. See Flood zones and FEMA flood maps explained for how maps are read and elevation certificates and your flood premium for the paperwork that usually supports a map change.

Last reviewed October 10, 2026

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Related terms

Flood zone A map designation, such as Zone AE, VE or X, that classifies a property's flood risk and helps decide whether a lender will require flood insurance. Flood insurance rate map (FIRM) FEMA's official map of a community showing flood zones, base flood elevations and floodways, which lenders use to decide whether flood insurance is required. Base flood elevation (BFE) The height, in feet above a standard reference level, that floodwater is expected to reach in a flood with a 1% chance of occurring in any year. National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) The federal program, run by FEMA since 1968, that makes flood insurance available to owners and renters in communities that adopt floodplain management rules. Private flood insurance Flood coverage issued on an insurer's own form and rates instead of through the federal program, which a lender may accept in place of an NFIP policy. Elevation certificate A form completed by a licensed surveyor, engineer or architect that records a building's key elevations against the mapped base flood elevation.

Related guides

Check insurability before you buy a house Get address-specific quotes and an eligibility answer during your inspection period, before you are committed. What to check and what to do if insurers say no. Does homeowners insurance cover flooding? No. A standard homeowners policy excludes flood, surface water and storm surge. Flood coverage takes a separate NFIP or private flood policy. Elevation certificates and your flood premium What a FEMA elevation certificate records, who must have one, whether it lowers an NFIP premium under Risk Rating 2.0, and how to find or order one. The federal role in home insurance Washington does not regulate homeowners policies, but it runs flood insurance, studies the market, sets mortgage rules and pays disaster aid. Where it stops. FEMA disaster assistance vs insurance: what each pays FEMA grants and SBA loans are limited aid, not a substitute for insurance. What they pay, how they interact with your claim and the order to act. FHA, VA and USDA homeowners insurance requirements What FHA, VA and USDA loan rules say about homeowners and flood insurance: who picks the insurer, how much coverage, escrow, and what the lender may not demand.

Related insurers

Neptune Flood The largest U.S. private flood insurance provider, an MGA that places primary and excess flood policies with 45 insurers and reinsurers in all 50 states.

Related states

New Jersey New Jersey home insurance: NJM leads, coastal hurricane deductibles are capped by rule, flood is the big gap, and a small FAIR plan covers what insurers won't.

Related tools

Flood insurance coverage gap calculator See how much of your home and belongings a National Flood Insurance Program policy can cover, what is left over, and when a new policy would start.