PORT ORANGE, Fla. – Marty DeBlois didn’t think he needed flood insurance when he moved into his Colony In The Woods neighborhood, but then Hurricane Ian turned his street into a river.
“My wife’s car right there was over across the street, got destroyed, my Lexus got destroyed,” DeBlois said. “It was brutal. It was a tough thing to take. And then two years later, Milton came.”
DeBlois is not alone in his vulnerability or his surprise.
Hundreds of thousands of properties left off high-risk maps
A News 6 investigation found nearly 350,000 properties statewide face flood hazards but are not recognized as high risk in FEMA flood maps. The list includes Pine Hills, Poinciana, and Union Park — all areas FEMA does not currently classify as high risk.
“A lot of Central Floridians don’t realize they’re at risk of flooding because they don’t live along the coast,” said Mark Friedlander, Florida spokesman for the Insurance Information Institute.
Most Central Florida homeowners have no flood coverage
Despite the widespread risk, only 20% of Floridians carry flood insurance. In Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Lake counties, just 6% of homes have a policy, leaving the vast majority of homeowners financially exposed.
The financial stakes are significant. According to Friedlander, just one inch of floodwater causes $25,000 in damage.
The growth factor
The pace of development across central Florida may be compounding the problem, potentially leaving more homeowners vulnerable as hurricane season ramps up. DeBlois’s community has since required all new homes to be built six feet off the ground.
But DeBlois himself chose to stay in the 80% without a policy.
“I’m pretty confident,” he said. “I mean, I know one thing — we won’t need flood insurance.”
Flood insurance isn’t cheap. If you’re concerned about the price, there are a couple of ways to not break the bank.
- The National Flood Insurance Program offers plans where you can break up the cost.
- FEMA offers discounts on your premium if you protect your home. This can include elevating your utilities or installing proper flood vents in crawlspaces.
- Shop around the private market for the best price.