Lafayette Homeowners Should Check Latest Flood Maps for Insurance Needs

(Lafayette, Louisiana) - Louisiana weather patterns are about as predictable as winning lottery numbers. It's always a roll of the dice when planning outdoor activities, especially when transitioning from spring to summer. While Louisiana traditionally has its fair share of rain, ranging from 50 inches in the northern part of the state to around 70 inches in the southeast, 2023 was one for the record books, in the other direction.

The average amount of rainfall for 2023 in Louisiana was around 41 inches. Combined with abnormally high temperatures, this resulted in an extreme drought for most of the state. With no hurricanes targeting the Louisiana Gulf Coast, any additional rain from those storms never occurred.

You may remember the floods of 2016 and 2018 which caused damage to homes across the area. Months after the flooding, FEMA updated flood maps were issued for Lafayette parish. If you own your home, you may not even know if you're in a flood area if you haven't checked the maps. Some residences that were in the non-mandatory area for flood insurance may have shifted into the mandatory zone. There may even be residences that were in a mandatory zone but are now classified as non-mandatory. The level of relevance can increase or decrease the cost of your flood insurance.

It's always good to check with your insurance provider to make sure you have the right coverage for your home, and that you're not over (or under) paying for flood insurance.

FEMA's FIRM (Flood Insurance Rate Map) for Lafayette is available at Lafayettela.gov. You can check current flood maps or dig into historical flood maps to see if your home's risk has changed over the years. With an active hurricane season predicted for 2024, it's always good to be prepared and make sure you're covered before catastrophes happen.