WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Flooding in Florida doesn't occur just near the coastline.
Many homeowners are finding out the hard way that even low-risk areas can turn into high-risk gambles if they decline flood insurance.
"We're not in a flood zone. We don't have flood insurance, never thought we need flood insurance we're Zone X," said Kelsey Blanton, whose Sarasota home was flooded by heavy rains from Hurricane Debby.
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"My insurance agent double-checked for me. We are still on flood Zone X," resident Kim Gregory said. "We are not in a flood zone. There's no requirement for flood insurance."
Zone X is a designation from FEMA that says the property has less than a 0.2% annual probability of flooding.
Without flood insurance, these homeowners are left footing the bill for the damage from the estimated 13-inch rainfall.
WPTV recently asked FEMA about the flood maps, the zones and the need for flood insurance.
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"I definitely want people to be aware of the risk. I think people need to consider purchasing flood insurance," Tony Hake, FEMA's customer services division director, said.
Hake said the lines on the FEMA map are created as a guideline and flooding can happen anywhere.
"One-third of the losses or claims paid on, are typically in areas outside the special flood hazard area," Hake said.
WPTV found in Florida only about 12% of properties are covered by flood insurance.
On a typical home, the policies can average under a $1,000 a year, but a lot depends on if the property is in a high-risk area for flooding.
In those high-risk areas, many mortgage lenders require flood insurance. But in low-risk areas, it's up to homeowners.
"Almost all of my neighbors don't have flood insurance," Gregory said. "This is not a flooded area. This should never have happened."