How to Find Out if You Live Near a Flood Plain

If you want to know how close you live to a federally-designated flood plain, there's a map for that.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's website allows people search detailed flood maps.

All you need to do is just put in your address, and you can see a map of your neighborhood.

Insurance companies use a number of factors in setting rates for flood insurance and rate the risk on a letter scale from A to X, said Dallas independent insurance agent Ken Davidson.

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"Homeowners' policies do not cover you for flood, whether it's your dwelling, your property or your contents," he said. "You have to secure a separate flood insurance policy."

Davidson said more than 75 percent of Texans decide they can't afford it or don't need it.

But he warned when a flood hits, it's too late.

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"You're buying insurance for claims and when that claim happens, you better make sure you have coverage," he said.

Once you buy a policy, it takes 30 days to go into effect, he said.

Click the link to find the FEMA flood maps.

Taken from: http://www.nbcdfw.com/weather/stories/How-to-Find-Out-if-You-Live-Near-a-Flood-Plain-336125011.html