# Fewer Than 1 in 200 Metro Detroit Homes Has Flood Insurance, New Data Shows - **Issued by:** [Mansour's Innovations](https://www.helpareporter.com/news-releases/mansours-innovations) - **Distributed via:** [EIN Presswire](https://www.helpareporter.com/news-releases/ein-presswire) - **Published:** Nov 8, 2026, 12:00 PM UTC - **Category:** [Building & Construction Industry](https://www.helpareporter.com/news-releases/building-and-construction-industry) - **Dateline:** SHELBY TOWNSHIP, MI, UNITED STATES - **Location:** Shelby Township, MI - **Topics:** Building & Construction Industry, Environment, Natural Disasters, Insurance Industry, Real Estate & Property Management - **Web page:** https://www.helpareporter.com/news-releases/fewer-than-1-in-200-metro-detroit-homes-has-flood-insurance-new-data-2 --- _A Shelby Township contractor went through FEMA, NOAA and state records. Nearly 9 in 10 insured flood losses in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne hit a basement._ **I wanted the real numbers out there so people can look at their own area before the next storm, not after.”** — Imad "Matt" Mansour, owner, Mansour's Innovations SHELBY TOWNSHIP, MI, UNITED STATES, November 8, 2026 /[EINPresswire.com](https://www.einpresswire.com/)/ -- Almost nobody in Metro Detroit has flood insurance. Not a thin policy with a high deductible. No federal flood policy at all. That is the plainest takeaway from a new guide by Mansour's Innovations, a family-owned [basement waterproofing](https://www.mansoursinnovations.com/), excavation and plumbing contractor in Shelby Township. The company pulled federal and state flood records for Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties and put them side by side, 2014 through 2026. Every number in the [public-data guide](https://www.mansoursinnovations.com/basement-flooding-data-macomb-oakland-wayne/) names where it came from. The headline number: FEMA counts 5,813 residential flood policies for about 1.38 million residential buildings in the three counties. That works out to 0.42%, or fewer than 1 in 200. And the region floods. All three counties were part of federally declared disasters in August 2014, June 2021 and August 2023. After each of those storms, somewhere between 99,000 and 143,000 households here signed up for FEMA aid. Flood insurance claims for the same storms? 543, 151 and 138. "People call me with two feet of water in the basement and the first thing they ask is whether insurance will pay," said Imad "Matt" Mansour, who owns the company. "Most of the time they don't have flood coverage. And even if they do, a flood policy only pays for a sewer backup in narrow cases. I wanted the real numbers out there so people can look at their own area before the next storm, not after." What else the records show When insured homes here do flood, it's almost always the basement. Since 2014, 89% of flood insurance claims with a recorded foundation type were for a house with a basement. The flood map doesn't tell the whole story either. 38% of claims with a recorded flood zone came from homes FEMA rates outside its high-risk zones. In Royal Oak's 48067, none of the 19 claims since 2014 was in a high-risk zone. Rain and snowmelt did more damage than rivers. 61% of claims with a recorded cause came from water piling up from rain or snowmelt. 25% came from a stream, river or lake running over its banks. Claims cluster in a few places. ZIP code 48125 in Dearborn Heights had 331 claims since 2014, the most in the three counties. Detroit's 48215 had 249. In Macomb County, 48047 (Chesterfield Township and New Baltimore) had 60 and 48045 (Harrison Township) had 50. The sewers are part of it. Since January 2014, sewer systems in the three counties filed 4,422 discharge reports with the state, and about three of every four came from Wayne County. In Detroit, several neighboring cities and parts of south Oakland County, storm water and sewage share the same pipes. When those pipes fill up in a heavy rain, water can push back up through a basement floor drain. Questions Matt hears all the time Does flood insurance cover a sewer backup? Only when a flood in the area caused the backup. "Check your homeowners policy for water backup coverage," Mansour said. "Call your agent now. It's a five-minute call and it beats finding out the hard way." My basement flooded with sewage. What do I do first? Take pictures before you clean anything. Under Michigan law (MCL 691.1419), you have 45 days to send written notice to whoever runs your sewer if you want to make a claim against them. Will the city help pay for a [backwater valve](https://www.mansoursinnovations.com/services/sewer-backflow-preventers/)? Sometimes, but don't count on it. When the guide was checked on Nov. 6, 2026, Detroit's Basement Backup Protection Program was closed until more money comes in. Royal Oak's RENO program waives city permit and inspection fees but doesn't pay for the valve itself. Most cities require a plumbing permit for one. How do I know what kind of water I'm dealing with? If it comes up through the floor drain during a storm, it's usually the sewer. If it seeps through a crack in the wall or at the edge of the floor, it's groundwater. "They're two different problems with two different fixes," Mansour said. "Sometimes it's a small fix. I'd rather tell someone that than sell them a system they don't need." What about power outages? The August 2023 storms knocked out power to close to 500,000 customers in southern Lower Michigan. A sump pump without power is just a hole in the floor, which is why a lot of homeowners add a battery backup. How the guide was put together The company downloaded each data set from FEMA, NOAA and Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy on Nov. 6, 2026, kept the records for the three counties and counted them. No numbers were adjusted. Reporters, researchers and local officials are welcome to cite it. About Mansour's Innovations Mansour's Innovations is a family-owned basement waterproofing, excavation and plumbing contractor based in Shelby Township, Michigan. Since 2014 the company has finished more than 1,600 projects across Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties. Owner Imad "Matt" Mansour has more than 20 years in the trade, and the company has a 4.9-star rating on Google from 114 reviews. The crew is licensed, bonded and insured, and waterproofing work comes with a 25-year transferable limited warranty. Free estimates: (586) 345-7292 or mansoursinnovations.com. Imad Mansour Mansour's Innovations [+1 586-345-7292]() Info@mansoursinnovations.com Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above. ## Related releases - [Michigan Still Doesn't Know What 315,000 of Its Water Service Lines Are Made Of. Here's How to Check Yours](https://www.helpareporter.com/news-releases/michigan-still-doesnt-know-what-315000-of-its-water-service-lines-are-2) - [Inside or Outside? 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