Adjustment Issues - Elevated Building

As you might recall from Lesson 2, the SFIP defines an elevated building as a building that has no basement and has its lowest elevated floor raised above ground level by any of the following:

  • Foundation walls
  • Posts
  • Piers
  • Pilings
  • Columns

When adjusting an elevated building claim it is important to know whether the building is in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), as specified in Section III. Property Insured, A.8, and whether the building is Pre-FIRM or Post-FIRM. Remember:

A Pre-FIRM building is a building which was built prior to the initial FIRM date and, regardless of the zone it is in, does not have Post-FIRM limitations below the lowest elevated floor

A Post-FIRM building is a building which was built or substantially improved after December 31, 1974 or on or after the effective date of the initial FIRM, whichever is later. Limitations of the SFIP will then apply

Note: To review a list of the building and personal property insured, see Section III, Property Insured.

Graphic titled Elevated Buildings. On the right is a diagram titled Diagram 5. Underneath is a diagram representing an elevated building. It is a rectangle with vertical lines, representing stilts, with a horizontal line below them labeled grade. The rectangle is labeled ELEVATED FLOOR. Above the rectangle it says NEXT HIGHER FLOOR. There are four circles with arrows. One circle is labeled C2.a and the arrow points to the bottom of the rectangle, the elevated floor. Another circle is labeled C2.b and its arrow points to the top of the rectangle, the next higher floor. A circle labeled C2.c points to the bottom of the rectangle and says F or V Zones only, to its right. Below the horizontal line representing the grade is a circle labeled C2.f h. Underneath the circle it says determined by existing grade. To the right of the diagram is a photograph of a wooden building on stilts.