Flood Insurance

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is a federal program enabling property owners in participating communities to purchase insurance as a protection against flood losses in exchange for State and community floodplain management regulations that reduce future flood damages.

Participation & Availability


Participation in the NFIP is based on an agreement between communities and the Federal Government. If a community adopts and enforces a floodplain management ordinance to reduce future flood risk to new construction in floodplains, the Federal Government will make flood insurance available within the community as a financial protection against flood losses. This insurance is designed to provide an insurance alternative to disaster assistance to reduce the escalating costs of repairing damage to buildings and their contents caused by floods.

Goals


Pitt County has been participating in the NFIP since 1983. The Pitt County Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance was adopted by the County Commissioners on August 18, 1980 and is administered by the Pitt County Planning Department. Through the use of this ordinance, Pitt County strives to:
  • Help maintain a stable tax base by providing for the sound use and development of flood prone areas in such a manner as to minimize flood blight areas, and,
  • Ensure that potential homebuyers are notified that property is in a flood area.
  • Minimize damage to public facilities and utilities such as water and gas mains, electric, telephone and sewer lines, streets and bridges located in floodplains,
  • Minimize expenditure of public money for costly flood control projects,
  • Minimize the need for rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding and generally undertaken at the expense of the general public,
  • Minimize prolonged business interruptions,
  • Protect human life and health

Additional Information

For more information about flood insurance and efforts to help mitigate the effects of flooding
on new and improved structures, please visit the following website: 
www.FloodSmart.gov