WrightwoodCalif.com Forum
Public Forums => Home - Garden - Auto - Carpooling => Topic started by: Firemn41 on Feb 16, 06, 04:16:33 AM
-
Just curious, we are in escrow for a new home in Wrightwood. does anyone know what area is in a Flood Zone for Flood Insurance? I am moving off of Locarno x East Canyon. Thanks Joe
-
your escrow papers should have a map that shows if the property is in a flood zone or not... It will be in your disclosure papers you get...
Here is another place to look
Flood Smart (http://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/pages/riskassesment/findpropertyform.jsp;jsessionid=07F71F4B563870687843CFB54100F829)
-
Wnen we bought (10 years ago) we had no idea that we were in a "flood zone". But we fell in love with our house and really didn't care about that.
The "flood" zone insurance isn't that much when you consider overall cost and we just pay it as needed.
So many areas of our mountain community are considered to be in a "flood zone" because of the natural flow of downfalling water when we get heavy rain or snow melt. Seldom has a flood condition of our homes actually happened but if you have a mortgage=-insurance is required to protect the mortgage company's investment because of the countyS evaluation. Personnaly, I think this is funky.
-
Thanks for the info. The website showed a High Risk, I remember talking to someone at Country Life Reality and they showed me a map and some areas were worse then others and some areas were free of any flood zones. Per the map that is. Rough idea what a year cost of Flood Insurance would be helpful. My old insurance company wont even insure me up there so I am talking to Farmers now. Thanks for any help. PS I havent received my escrow papers yet. They wanted proof of home owners insurance first. . Thanks again
Joe
-
We paid $449 for a $250k flood policy in January.
-
What area are you near in WW. We are buying in East Canyon x Locarno in the east side of WW. Who do you insure through if you dont mind me asking? Thanks Joe
-
Joe
If you are in a flood zone the lender can/will require flood insurance for you to close escrow.
I would recommend that you insist an elevation certificate be completed prior to close of escrow so you will not be paying "an arm & a leg" for flood insurance.
Contact Ken Brisson at Certified Flood Systems. The last time I spoke to him he said he was doing Elevation Certificates. If my memory serves me correctly, the Nat'l Flood agency(?) was requiring a new Elevation Certificate when the property sold.
You can search for "flood insurance" on this forum and get some interesting information. e.g.
http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/forum/index.php/topic,4012.0.html is one of my most recent posts pertaining to the topic.
CERTIFIED FLOOD SYSTEMS
Kenneth P. Bisson, President
5278 Desert View Lane
P.O. Box 650
Wrightwood, CA 92397-0650
(800) 609-0465, FAX (619) 249-1083
-
We are in Zone A which is near Walnut and Linnet.
And we do have an elevation certificate as Hanks recommends.
-
-
I just looked at an old map I have and it looks like that area is also a Zone A. (Don't hold me to it)
We use State Farm but it goes through the National Flood Insurance
-
What does Zone A mean and what does an elevation report consist of. Can I get an elevation report if I havent closed escrow? How much are these reports? Thanks everyone for all your info.
-
Flood zone A is considered an area of 100 year flood.
-
The different zones are determined by the potential damage of flooding and the cost for the flood insurance is reflected by the risk. It is important that you get an elevation certificate before the close of escrow because if the lender requires flood insurance to close the escrow you may have to pay a higher amount than if you have a completed E.C.
If my memory serves me correctly, the E.C. costs between $250-$300--sometimes lower depending on the difficulty.
I would think that the cost of the E.C. should be negotiable with the seller--similar to a septic certification or a termite report.
-
I just called to find out about that Elevation Certificate and I hope that helps. My rough insurance quote for Homeowners through Farmers was 989 a year and about 3500 a year for Flood insurance.
-
I had farmers for my auto but when I bought my home I went to State Farm for home and auto. They were much cheaper for the same policy.
I just called to find out about that Elevation Certificate and I hope that helps. My rough insurance quote for Homeowners through Farmers was 989 a year and about 3500 a year for Flood insurance.
-
Hi neighbor, the lower end of Locarno is in the flood zone the upper portion by East Canyon is not. So if you are close to the east/locarno intersection you are ok. Let me know if you want to come by and get a copy of the Flood map i have them at my office.
-
Hey Neighbor,
I was looking at a map of the address I am buying and the house sits on the end of Locarno 3 houses from the last road. Drive on Lone Pine Canyon and go north of East Canyon and then a left on Locarno. 3rd house from end on right hand side. Not sure if that is in a flood zone or not. Some houses on that street were and others werent
-
The lower end of Locarno is in Zone A. That would be the end away from East Canyon.
-
Seldom has a flood condition of our homes actually happened but if you have a mortgage=-insurance is required to protect the mortgage company's investment because of the countyS evaluation. Personnaly, I think this is funky.
I respectfully disagree that this is "funky." I think it is necessary. If you live in an area that could be subjected to flooding, even in a "100 year" event, I think YOU should have to pay for the risk. You see, without flood insurance and you get wiped out, most people expect FEMA and the Federal Government to bail them out. Why should I as a taxpayer have to pay for your personal decision to live in an area that takes a risk? I live in earthquake country, I pay for earthquake insurance. I lived in the midwest and it frosted my buns that people lived in the flood plain of the Ohio and Mississipi river without flood insurance. How many times should my tax dollars have to pay to bail them out. In some areas of Illinois, FEMA came in and just bought them out and would not give them money if they rebuilt in the flood plain. Where you live is a personal choice. Therefore, YOU should encumber the risk and not expect your fellow citizens to take it on. Just my :2cents: (Obviously, this is something I feel very passionately about ;) )
-
Hello,
I was wondering if anyone up here has Earthquake insurance. I know this post started out about Flood insurance but since I am new up here and we are on the San Andreas fualt I was curious. My quote was $459.00 a yr w/ a $39,000.00 Deductable. Does this sound correct? Thanks
-
Hank & Kris Hallmark live in Wrightwood so as "locals" they are very good at helping you out. I'm sure they'd be happy to meet with you in WW so you don't have to drive down there.
State Farm
2511 S Euclid Avenue
Ontario, CA 91762-6620
Office Hours:
Mon-Fri 9:00am to 5:00pm
Phone:(909) 983-0572
Fax:(909) 983-8961
-
Howdy Firemn41, I will be your neighbor on Locarno. I live at the top of the street. You can view flood maps at www.fema.gov, then go to FEMA Flood Map store. You can view the maps on line. I was required to get flood insurance when I purchased my home. I recently took the FEMA flood map and superimposed it on my tract map and was able to convince my lender that I am just outside the flood zone. I just let my flood insurance lapse because I simply can't afford any more insurance. The premium was $1,200 per year for $245,000 in coverage (ouch). I really don't think my house would be hit by flood, but the lower end of Locarno drops down quite a bit. I'm really surprised that someone posted they got similar coverage for $500 per year. Flood insurance is a national policy, so I did not think coverage costs would vary. I had my policy thru Allstate. I'm going to shop around. I can afford $500, but $1,200 was hard for me to swallow this year. I pay about $500 per year for my earthquake coverage, but I think I only have about $140,000 in coverage....probably not enough to rebuild, but it would give me a start.
-
Just received a notice from Allstate for non-renewal because my dweling is located in a wildfire designated area didnt meet Wildfire Hazard underwriting guidelines now i guess i need to get hold of my insurance guy to see what the heck is going on. Has anyone else ever had this happen?
-
Please bring your letter (and a few copies) to the Wrightwood Fire Safe Council meeting on Tuesday Oct 21st, 7pm at the Old Fire Station.
-
About 3 years ago we were dropped from an insurance agency in Hesperia. We didn't know it until our Lender sent us a letter stating that we no longer had homeowner's insurance! The company had sent the letter to our physical address so we never got it-thus were never ever notified! We signed up a few days later with Allstate and still have them today well, at least I think we have them....Our agent lives in WW so am curious what she will do if she's in a fire zone? No letter for us and we sure hope we Never get one from Allstate. Getting new Homeowner's Insurance is difficult up here in WW.
-
Keeping your home insured in a fire zone
Though many companies have dropped home coverage in the state, it's still obtainable -- you just have to make your home fire-safe, do a lot of legwork and pay high premiums.
By Diane Wedner→
October 26, 2008
It's the peak of what is now a year-round fire season. And throughout Southern California, homeowners in blaze-prone regions are having a hard time finding fire insurance. Tens of thousands of homes are in the region's brushy canyons, with still more under construction. The powerful blazes of the last few years have raised questions about whether people should be encouraged to live in such areas -- and insurance companies have begun to fight back, dropping some customers and raising prices for others. "The market is frightening, for sure," said Paul Cashman, a State Farm Insurance agent. "Some companies aren't writing any policies, some are not renewing in selected areas, and some will offer policies only on a place-by-place basis." Still, it is possible to insure most properties -- if you are willing to do a lot of legwork and pay high premiums.
There are 200 companies insuring homes against fire in California, and even owners in high-risk zones can generally find a policy, said California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner.
Step by step
Here's how to get started.
First, make your property fire-safe. That first step may determine whether you get a policy and how much you'll pay for it.
Clear 300 feet of combustible brush or chaparral surrounding the house (the state requires 100 feet), install roof sprinklers and enclose the eaves. Make sure your landscaping does not include combustible plants like juniper or lavender near the house.
Additional information on fireproofing can be found at Cal Fire's website, www.fire.ca.gov.
Next, search for an appropriate insurance company. Using either a broker or an agent, find out the various firms' underwriting policies and prices. You might have to deal with companies that are unfamiliar to you, as some well-known firms have slowed or stopped their fire insurance business in the region. Allstate Corp., for example, stopped selling new homeowner policies in California last year. State Farm Insurance Cos. has become selective about where it offers insurance, said spokesman Bill Sirola.
Insurers may factor in the age of a home, the construction materials and the home's proximity to a fire hydrant and fire station. Owners who go the extra mile sometimes can get discounts from insurers; those who don't comply with carriers' requirements often pay more.
Homeowners in high-risk zones unable to get policies from large national carriers may qualify for a so-called surplus line from companies that are not overseen by the state. Those policies typically are arranged through insurance brokers, said Shelina Martinez, a vice president at CDS Insurance Services in San Dimas.
Corral Canyon owners Paul and Danielle Morra went that route.
Their home was newly built in a high-risk fire zone, and the couple knew they would have difficulty finding a policy.
To make the property more attractive to insurance companies, the Morras exceeded local, state and insurance company requirements by clearing 350 feet of combustible brush around their Malibu property. They installed an indoor sprinkler system (mandatory in unincorporated Malibu) and $3,000 roof sprinklers (not required). They also coated all of the building materials for the home with a fire retardant.
The couple got a policy from Lexington Insurance Co., a subsidiary of American International Group Inc., through their insurance broker, but at the hefty price of $9,600 a year.
Soon after, the Corral Canyon fire raged through the neighborhood, and the Morras were evacuated.
A company inspector checked out the property before and several times after the blaze, which the house survived unscathed, even though many neighboring homes were burned.
"Firefighters said our brush clearance made the difference," Paul Morra said. Their policy recently was renewed.
Extra cautious
Some companies may require, beyond the usual safety measures, interior sprinklers, including in closets; fire-resistant roofing materials; on-site 30,000-gallon water tanks; and access codes for homes in gated communities.
And if you are in the fire zone, be prepared to pay high premiums.
"Even if you do all of the mitigating in high-risk zones, you still will pay more in many cases," said Josh Stichter, a sales representative in Santa Barbara for Hub International, an insurance brokerage.
Some owners facing nonrenewal notices have used the power of persuasion to keep their policies. Santa Barbara resident Ginger Sledge, a film producer, received a letter from her insurance company after last summer's Gap fire, informing her that an inspector would be arriving to evaluate her Mission Canyon property, which was not affected by the blaze.
A self-described poster child for maintaining a fire-safe property, she was surprised when shortly after the inspection her nonrenewal notice arrived in the mail, after 20 years with her carrier. The letter claimed that her home's proximity to Los Padres National Forest, not issues with the property itself, prompted the rejection.
After two days of chasing insurance-company leads from a real estate agent and friends, Sledge found two companies willing to cover her home. She contacted her insurer with that news and got copies of the photos her company's inspector took, which depicted the house closer to the wilderness than it actually is, she said. She ended up being reinstated, after the company checked a satellite map -- a frequently used insurer's tool -- and determined that the house was indeed a safe distance from the forest.
A last resort
Sometimes it's impossible to get insurance from any company.
If that's the case, you can purchase a last-resort policy under the California Fair Plan, a government- and insurance-industry-sponsored alternative that offers property insurance to those deemed too risky by other companies.
The plan covers the structure and its contents, but it can be expensive; experts say the surcharge can run as much as 150% higher than regular coverage if 200-foot brush-clearance and other requirements aren't met. The average policy costs about $800 per year, said Fair Plan spokesman Mike Harris. About 2,400 of the state's current 19,000 Fair Plan brush-wildfire policyholders are paying surcharges.
The bare-bones plan does not provide theft, liability and other protection, so experts recommend that you buy an additional "wraparound" policy from an insurance company to fill in the gaps in the coverage. The cost varies by company.
Once you get a policy, it's important, experts say, to carry enough insurance to rebuild the house, replace the contents of your home at their current value and cover living expenses during construction.
Standard policies today reimburse homeowners for the replacement cost rather than the depreciated value of the furniture and other items in the home. It's prudent to hire a professional appraiser to assess the cost of covering a home's contents, said State Farm spokesman Sirola, and then have the appraiser return periodically to make sure the coverage is keeping pace with the rising cost of home construction in the vicinity.
Owners should keep an inventory of the contents of their homes by video-recording all items stored in the house. Keep the inventory in a safe deposit box. Owners must notify their insurance companies about new construction and high-end acquisitions, such as a big-screen TV. And if the nonrenewal notice comes, act fast.
"After one expires, it's twice as hard to get a new one," said broker Martinez.
Sledge's neighbors in Santa Barbara, Jim and Laura Herrell, received a notice from Farmers Insurance Group shortly after the 2007 Zaca fire, informing them that their insurance policy would not be renewed. Jim Herrell said he snapped into action.
An insurance broker provided him with several quotes that were contingent on on-site inspections. Herrell, meanwhile, asked his auto-insurance agent for a homeowners policy estimate, and AAA sent an appraiser to the property.
"He photographed every inch of the interior, exterior, measured the brush clearance, measured the distance of our house from the road, and we discussed the fire break provided by the avocado orchard across the ridge from me," Herrell said. "We got a policy from them, and it was less expensive than our previous one."
Wedner is a Times staff writer.
-
I still would to see what other folks have as their fire insurance company. So far it only has been State Farm and Allstate though now Allstate has recently drop its coverage. Perhaps a "co-op" should be formed and a group of us could then approach various companies for coverage.
-
We have CA Fair Plan for our fire policy and McGraw Specialty Insurance Services (I guess it's part of Pacific Specialty Insurance Company) for the wrap-around policy. Both of these brokered through our All-State agent.
-
Ok so Fema moved their flood map in Sept, 08 and left a few of us scrambling.....
Hank what is up with that?
-
?? not for you?
-
yeah us! That is what I hear from my lender, I am trying to find the maps now.
-
A friend of mine lives in Mill Creek Canyon (Forest Falls) about 200 feet from Mill Creek. He was far enough away from the creek and was elevated enough to not be in the 100-year flood plain until last month when FEMA told his mortgage company that they have changed the 100-year flood plain, and now, after 8 years of living there, he needs flood insurance.
They want $4200 per year for mandatory flood insurance ($350 per month). He got no warning or no option to set a higher deductable, just send them a check.
-
They tried to pull that crap with my neighbor, do you have countrywide? they said they had a private company do it and they decided it was a flood plane, sounds like a scam to me. she told them she was not getting flood insurance that our area has never been a flood plane and they mysteriously backed off.
-
Here is a FEMA map I found of our area.
http://map1.msc.fema.gov/idms/IntraView.cgi?ROT=0&O_X=5601&O_Y=3583&O_ZM=0.077294&O_SX=866&O_SY=463&O_DPI=400&O_TH=58591458&O_EN=58636963&O_PG=1&O_MP=1&CT=0&DI=0&WD=14400&HT=10350&JX=1004&JY=523&MPT=0&MPS=0&ACT=0&KEY=58580006&ITEM=1&PICK_VIEW_CENTER.x=340&PICK_VIEW_CENTER.y=336&R1=VIN
or to find your location:
http://msc.fema.gov/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/MapSearchResult?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&userType=G&panelIDs=06071C7155H&Type=pbp&nonprinted=&unmapped=
-
After the new homes were built above me and the dirt was moved around, we had way more water come through our yard than ever before. (last winter/summer rains)
I purchased flood insurance from the state for about $350 per year. It was cheap because we are not considered in a flood plain. Guess they've never looked at the raging river of Pine Street when we have major downpours!
-
(http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/disaster/EastCanyonFlood2.jpg)
(http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/disaster/EastCanyonFlood.jpg)
-
Ok so FEMA moved their flood map in Sept, 08 and left a few of us scrambling.....
Hank what is up with that?
The first thing you should do if you get a request for flood insurance is make sure you have an elevation certificate. If you do not have one you will probably pay a much higher price for the insurance.
If you do not have an elevation certificate you can call either of the two following Wrightwood residents who can provide you with one: Phil Mosley @ 760-249-4646 or Ken Bisson [Certified Flood Systems] @ 760-249-6900 E-mail: kencfs@qnet.com Website: www.certifiedfloodsystems.com
An elevation certificate is an important document for you to have and provide to any future buyer of your property.
With FEMA updating their maps many previously unaffected properties may be required to carry flood insurance.
I have heard that if you are dealing with an east coast lender you are more likely to be required to have flood.
FYI The State of California Earthquake Authority has already reviewed and updated their exposure and most folks have already noticed an increase in the cost of earthquake insurance.
There is a lot of discussion pertaining to the government having to "bail out" homeowners who live and rebuild in hazardous area and don't carry proper insurance;e.g. flood, earthquake, insurance to value, etc. I'm surprised more lenders don't require earthquake and flood insurance as well as the normal homeowners policy.
-
Thanks so much for the info everyone,
I am still working on my coverage, I have an elevation cert but it is outdated.
Why the short life on the cert?
-
My neighbor got a letter about 2 months ago that her property is now in the flood zone - she's trying to fight it. Her lender is the same as mine but we haven't gotten a notice. I checked the maps and tried to overlay the parcel map I got. Her backyard now falls in the flood zone and a very small sliver of ours now does. That is, if I'm right on my maps. Luckily we haven't gotten a notice yet - that is not an expense we could handle.
What is the life of that certificate?
-
We need to see the other half of the map, for the west side of town. I can view the map, but can't post it on the forum.
From the new map, it appears that a significant portion of Pine and Acorn are now in Zone A. The details are sketchy, but our particular home may be on the edge of the zone.
That would correspond with what we found out when we bought the house. A corner of the yard was in the flood zone, but the house itself was not.
-
Here's the SB County West end
(http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/disaster/WsetWrightwoodFlood2.jpg)
(http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/disaster/WsetWrightwoodFlood1.jpg)
-
Thanks so much for the info everyone, I am still working on my coverage, I have an elevation cert but it is outdated.
Why the short life on the cert?
I wasn't aware that elevation certificates had an expiration date--a "shelf--life" if you will?
I can understand a lender wanting a new certificate in the name of the new owner [buyer].
-
It does, but FEMA said I didn't need a new one for a map amendment. That is what I am working on now.
-
So if part of the yard is in the flood zone and the house is not, is flood insurance usually required?
-
OMG, how in the world can you tell that a "sliver" of your piece of property is "in the zone" from the attached maps. I can make out houses but certainly not property lines.
Doesn't look like my property is in this zone but my goodness how the water races down the street during a downpour is frightening. Almost like the drops are all racing towards the wash.
-
OMG, how in the world can you tell that a "sliver" of your piece of property is "in the zone" from the attached maps. I can make out houses but certainly not property lines.
I cut the flood map to only the size of my tract map and I made my parcel map (showing my tract) the same size as the flood map. Then tried to overlay them to get an idea of where the flood line actually came. When it's all blown up, just the darker blue edge and a small slice of faded blue of Zone A is in my property - in the very far backyard. On our neighborhood you can barely make out the houses on the flood map - I think the roofs blend in too much with the trees.
-
Well, in our case, we had to have an elevation certificate for the flood insurance. From the certificate we got the information that the yard was affected, but not the residence itself.
Because insurance covers the property and "improvements" (i.e. the house) we have to carry flood insurance.
-
So if part of the yard is in the flood zone and the house is not, is flood insurance usually required?
That was the case for my last property, and the lender required it.
-
If you look at the 1976 flood map prepared by the State of California you'll notice a striking resemblance.
(Click on photo to enlarge)
(http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/mudflows/76Plate2c.JPG)
-
It does, but FEMA said I didn't need a new one for a map amendment. That is what I am working on now.
Did you find out why and who stated the elevation expires if you still own the home and haven't changed the "footprint" of the structure.
I would think that a map amendment might require a certificate if you did not have one and the amendment affected your property!
-
So, why all of a sudden to they change the flood zone? there has been no floods in this area?
-
Did you find out why and who stated the elevation expires if you still own the home and haven't changed the "footprint" of the structure.
I would think that a map amendment might require a certificate if you did not have one and the amendment affected your property!
Thanks Hank, I do have a elevation report.
The map amendment I am talking about is called a LOMA, it is a single residence amendment that will take my house out of the A zone.
Because of emphatic language on my elevation report of the impossibility of my house flooding by the surveyor, I believe FEMA may see the rationale to remove my property (because they're being a rationale entity ;)). I will get back on their findings in about 60days.
Removing my property is more than about an insurance issue, it is also a resale issue.
-
Don't get your hopes up too high - for my old property (of which only a portion was in the flood zone) I had similar emphatic language about the impossibility of my house flooding, but I was not able to secure a LOMA. For my new property (across the street from the old one) I didn't bother going through the LOMA process. But I still paid for an elevation certificate, which was still very useful in reducing flood insurance premiums - in my case it paid for itself in the first year.