Find out if you will be forced to buy flood insurance

Pinellas County, FL - "It was a total shock," said Pinellas County resident Kelley Amos.

The shock came in the form of a letter from Amos' bank.

Until this week, Amos says she never needed flood insurance for her home on 62nd Street North in St. Petersburg. But now, her bank says, she must take "immediate action" to get flood insurance.

In the nine years they've lived here, Amos says they've never had water in their house, despite the fact that they have a pond in their backyard. "To be not in a flood zone and all of a sudden to be in a flood zone, I don't get it," said Amos.

It turns out, FEMA - the government agency that designates flood zones - changed her zone in August. So now, the Amos' home in Pinellas County is smack dab in the middle of a "high risk flood zone." "

I've been going from one number to another number to another number to try and get an answer," said Amos.

10 Connects tried to get answers for Amos by sitting down with property insurance expert, Ted Corless of Corless & Zinober.

Corless says FEMA has the right to adjust flood zones but homeowners have rights too. "There's a possibility the designation was made incorrectly," said Corless.

Amos can dispute FEMA's flood zone change but proving it to the bank is a tough task. "It's unlikely the lender is going to back off unless they get some indication that the designation was an error," said Corless.

That process could cost money but it is probably less than the coverage would cost. Amos got a couple of quotes from insurance companies already. "It is another $1,300 a year," said Amos.

Even if Amos decides to dispute the zone change, she still has to get the coverage within 45 days. If she wins the dispute, she will be credited any money already paid.

To find out if your flood zone has changed, click here.