Community Rating System Program

The National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities that exceed the minimum NFIP requirements. As a result, flood insurance premium rates are discounted to reflect the reduced flood risk resulting from the community actions, meeting the three goals of the CRS:

• Reduce flood damage to insurable property
• Strengthen and support the insurance aspects of the NFIP
• Encourage a comprehensive approach to floodplain management with measurable progress

Discounts

For CRS participating communities, flood insurance premium rates are discounted in increments of 5%: i.e., a Class 1 community would receive a 45% premium discount, while a Class 9 community would receive a 5% discount. A Class 10 is not participating in the CRS and receives no discount.

The CRS classes for local communities are based on 18 creditable activities, organized under four categories:

• Flood Damage Reduction
• Flood Preparedness
• Mapping and Regulations
• Public Information

Benefits for Residents

Residents living in communities participating in the CRS get flood premium discounts. The activities credited by the CRS provide direct benefits to the residents of that community, including:

• Enhanced public safety
• Reduction in damage to property and public infrastructure
• Avoidance of economic disruption and losses
• Reduction of human suffering
• Protection of the environment