The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) manages the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which works with local insurers to provide covered communities with flood insurance. As such, FEMA is responsible for setting many of the rules and regulations for flood insurance programs nationwide.
One of the most important rules the agency has set is known as the “50% Rule.” This rule can significantly impact people whose properties have been damaged by standing water. If you live in Florida or along the Texas coast, understanding the 50% rule is critical to ensuring you’re ready to file a successful property damage claim after hurricanes and floods.
What Is the FEMA 50% Rule?
Under FEMA’s guidance, the NFIP has instituted a rule that “prohibits improvements to a structure exceeding 50% of its market value unless the entire structure is brought into full compliance with current flood regulations.” This is otherwise known as the 50% Rule. It prevents property owners from improving or repairing their properties significantly, on their own or with the use of insurance funds, unless the property meets NFIP standards.
If properties are substantially improved or damaged and not brought into compliance, they may lose eligibility for flood insurance. If they retain eligibility, premiums for the policy are likely to increase by as much as 300%, according to FEMA. In contrast, premiums will remain the same or even decrease once the property is brought up to code.
This rule makes economic sense for FEMA, the NFIP, and its local insurance partners. Many businesses and homes are in areas prone to flooding, such as coastlines and river floodplains. If these properties experience significant damage from a routine flood, likely, they are not currently up to code. The 50% Rule incentivizes owners and insurers alike to make the improvements necessary to a property to prevent it from experiencing similar damage in the future. As such, the 50% Rule should lower the costs of flood damage to property owners and insurers over time.
While this rule is helpful on a broad level, it makes repairing your property more challenging after a flood causes substantial damage. You must either prove that the repairs necessary will not exceed 50% of your property’s pre-damage value or prepare to make significant improvements.
What Is Considered Substantial Damage?
The most frequent reason the 50% Rule is triggered is substantial damage to a structure. “Substantial damage” is defined as “damage of any origin sustained by a structure whereby the cost of restoring the structure to its before-damaged condition would equal or exceed 50 percent of the market value of the structure before the damage occurred.” It also includes “flood-related damage sustained by a structure on two separate occasions during a 10-year period for which the costs of repairs at the time of each such flood event, on average, equals or exceeds 25 percent of the market value of the structure before the damage occurred.”
If a property is damaged by a flood, fire, or any other natural disaster, it can easily cost more than half of its market value to repair it. Regardless of what caused the damage, owners are still required to abide by the 50% Rule or risk losing affordable flood insurance coverage entirely.
What You Need to Do to Comply With the 50% Rule
The 50% Rule requires properties to meet specific standards that vary depending on the risk to the structure. The NFIP determines the risk of flooding for neighborhoods and municipalities and categorizes them based on the danger they face. Each of these categories is held to specific minimum requirements to protect the property from future damage.
To comply with the 50% Rule, you must either remain below the repair or improvement cost threshold or update the property to meet NFIP minimum requirements. This may range from using dry-floodproofing techniques to seal commercial buildings against water to rebuilding residential structures, so the lowest living level is above the Base Flood Elevation.
The Impact of the 50% Rule on Property Insurance Claims
If your home or commercial property has faced significant damage, determining the exact cost of repairs compared to its market value becomes critical. You can proceed with your repairs as usual if it does not meet the 50% threshold. However, if costs exceed half the property’s value, you must determine what is necessary to bring it up to the flood code.
FEMA and the NFIP do not set specific rules for determining cost and market value estimates. Instead, they leave this up to local officials. In Florida, for example, property owners must use either their County Property Appraiser’s valuation or that of a state-licensed private appraiser as the market value. Meanwhile, the costs to repair damage may include itemized bills or professional estimates from licensed contractors.
These issues can heavily shape your property insurance claim after severe damage occurs. It is in your best interest to consult with an experienced insurance attorney to ensure that your claim is accurate and to avoid triggering the 50% Rule unnecessarily.
Assistance for Property Insurance Claims Under FEMA Rules
If your home or commercial property is not compliant with FEMA and NFIP flood rules, you must be cautious of the 50% Rule. An unexpected natural disaster could force you to decide between your flood insurance coverage and repairs you can afford.
If you’re concerned that the next hurricane will expose you to FEMA’s flood regulations, you should consult with the expert insurance attorneys at The Professional Law Group. Our skilled attorneys can help you file the insurance claims to repair your property and fight for the funds to bring everything up to the NFIP’s requirements. Learn more about how we can help you by scheduling your consultation today.
