Avon Property Owners May Be Forced To Get Flood Insurance

AVON, CT — If you're worried that changes to federal flood insurance rate maps will have you digging deeper into your bank account, the appeal process starts this week.

Last November, the Town of Avon sent notices to some property owners that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has identified property in town that will be impacted by proposed changes in FEMA's "Flood Insurance Rate Maps" (FIRMS).

If your property is listed as being in a flood-prone area, you must have flood insurance should your home be damaged in a flooding event.

Being listed on the FIRM could impact your property's value and your ability to sell your home.

But flood insurance is costly, so if your property isn't on the FEMA map now, but will be subject to the changes later this year a property owner faces a costly endeavor.

Town officials said that the initial notice from FEMA, dated last Nov. 15, referenced a 90-day appeal period to question whether your property is in a flood-prone area.

That appeal period starts Wednesday, Feb. 28, and ends on May 28.

But, local officials said, there are strict rules regarding an appeal being awarded.

"The appeal period is an opportunity for the municipality or any property owners to challenge the proposed FIRMs by providing additional scientific or technical data to FEMA. An appeal must be supported by an analysis or scientific evidence showing that the information on the preliminary FIRM is scientifically or technically incorrect," reads a notice.

Avon officials this week have released detailed steps and instructions to appeal your property, along with online documents about the FEMA flood map process and what it means for a property owner.

For more information on the Avon flood map situation, including appeal steps and guidelines, click on this link.