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Introduction
Everyone lives in a flood zone whether you live in a low-, moderate- or high-risk flood area. You do not need to live near water to be flooded. Floods are caused by storms, melting snow, hurricanes, water backup due to inadequate or overloaded drainage systems, as well as broken water mains. You can protect your home, business, and belonging with flood insurance from the NFIP. Flood insurance is necessary because homeowners insurance does not cover flood losses. Anyone who applies for a federally-funded mortgage/loan or refinancing on an existing home in flood-prone areas will be required to carry flood insurance for the life of the mortgage/loan.
Whether your flood risk is low, moderate, or high, all residents in NFIP participating communities can purchase flood insurance. It is always a good idea to have flood insurance if you live in a high-risk flood area. But it is also good idea even in lower risk areas since between 25% and 30% of flood insurance claims come from areas that are designated as low-to-moderate risk areas. To learn more about your property's flood risk, please view FEMA's floodplain maps and/or visit FEMA's FloodSmart web site and complete the One-Step Flood Risk Profile box, a red box on the left side of the page.
Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012
In 2012, the U.S. Congress passed the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 which calls on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and other agencies, to make a number of changes to the way the NFIP is run. As the law is implemented, some of these changes have already occurred, and others will be implemented in the coming months. Key provisions of the legislation will require the NFIP to raise rates to reflect true flood risk, make the program more financially stable, and change how Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) updates impact policyholders. The changes will mean premium rate increases for some - but not all -- policyholders over time.
For more information about the impact of changes, please review the following FEMA's brochures and fact sheets:
Flood Insurance Manual
The NFIP Flood Insurance Manual contains the procedures and the rating tables set by FEMA that are used by insurance companies (called Write-Your-Own companies) to determine a flood insurance premium. The Manual is revised by FEMA in May and October of each year. Below is a summary of recent and proposed changes to the Manual including rates. Click on the below headings for more details.
For More Information
Please visit FEMA’s FloodSmart Web site to find out about:
- Flood insurance policies and coverage
- Finding an agent in your area
- How to purchase flood insurance
- How to file a claim
Other helpful information about flood insurance can be found at the following links:
NH Flood Insurance Statistics (updated 2/8/13)
| County |
Number of Policies* |
| as of 8/31/12 |
as of 9/30/12 |
as of 10/31/12 |
as of 11/30/12 |
as of 12/31/12 |
as of 1/31/13 |
| Belknap |
344 |
344 |
355 |
358 |
358 |
358 |
| Carroll |
528 |
528 |
522 |
521 |
521 |
521 |
| Cheshire |
535 |
535 |
544 |
544 |
544 |
544 |
| Coos |
180 |
180 |
181 |
187 |
187 |
187 |
| Grafton |
938 |
938 |
1,022 |
1,041 |
1,041 |
1,041 |
| Hillsborough |
1,402 |
1,402 |
1,413 |
1,401 |
1,401 |
1,401 |
| Merrimack |
610 |
610 |
604 |
607 |
607 |
607 |
| Rockingham |
4,115 |
4,115 |
4,128 |
4,123 |
4,123 |
4,123 |
| Strafford |
450 |
450 |
449 |
441 |
441 |
441 |
| Sullivan |
188 |
188 |
188 |
184 |
184 |
184 |
| Total |
9,290 |
9,290 |
9,406 |
9,407 |
9,407 |
9,407 |
* Source: FEMA
Top 10 NH Communities with the Highest Number of Total Policies
Community |
Number of Total Policies*
(As of 1/31/13) |
| 1. HAMPTON |
1,740 |
| 2. SALEM |
449 |
| 3. KEENE |
329 |
| 4. RYE |
313 |
| 5. NASHUA |
305 |
| 6. WOODSTOCK |
241 |
| 7. DERRY |
219 |
| 8. MANCHESTER |
193 |
| 9. NEWMARKET |
174 |
| 10. SEABROOK BEACH |
169 |
* Source: FEMA
Top 10 NH Communities with the Highest Number of Total Paid Losses
Community |
Number of Total Paid Losses*
(As of 1/31/13) |
| 1. HAMPTON |
668 |
| 2. RYE |
253 |
| 3. KEENE |
170 |
| 4. GOFFSTOWN |
150 |
| 5. SALEM |
139 |
| 6. OSSIPEE |
127 |
| 7. RAYMOND |
95 |
| 8. ALLENSTOWN |
95 |
| 9. EXETER |
88 |
| 10. HOLDERNESS |
75 |
* Source: FEMA
Top 10 NH Communities with the Highest Number of Total Repetitive Losses
Community |
Number of Total Repetitive Losses*
(As of 1/31/13) |
1. HAMPTON |
33 |
2. GOFFSTOWN |
24 |
3. ALLENSTOWN |
21 |
4. EXETER |
17 |
5. RYE |
15 |
6. SALEM |
15 |
7. RAYMOND |
11 |
8. AMHERST and EPPING |
9 |
9. MERRIMACK and OSSIPEE |
8 |
10. PEMBROKE |
7 |
* Source: FEMA
Repetitive Loss means flood-related damage sustained by a structure on two separate occasions during a 10-year period for which the cost of repairs at the time of each such flood event, on the average, equals or exceeds 25 percent of the market value of the structure before the damage occurred.
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