2. An Overview of the Community Rating System (CRS)
Formed in 1991, the CRS program rewards communities who go beyond regulating construction of buildings to FEMA minimum standards by rewarding residents by discounting flood insurance premiums reflecting to the degree that the community has worked to reduce flood damage, restore the natural function of the floodplains, help people obtain flood insurance, help insurance agents obtain flood data, etc.

3. Goals of the CRS 1. Reduce flood damage to insurable property,
2. Strengthen and support the insurance aspects of the NFIP, and
3. Encourage a comprehensive approach to floodplain management.

4. Community Rating System
The goal is to encourage communities and states to exceed the minimum standards of the NFIP by the use of flood insurance premium adjustments
The objective is to reward communities that are exceeding the minimum standards

5. Incentive
CRS provides an incentive for communities to initiate new flood protection activities.

6. Minimum Requirements for Participation in the CRS
A community must be in the Regular Phase of the NFIP
A community must be in full compliance with the minimum standards of the NFIP

7. PRE-REQUISITES TO APPLY
HAVE HAD CAV WITHIN LAST YEAR AND RECEIVED LETTER OF GOOD STANDING
REPETITIVE LOSS PROPERTY ANALYSIS & PLAN
FLOOD INSURANCE MAINTAINED ON ALL COMMUNITY BUILDINGS AND PROPERTY
As well, you will want to calculate the size of your SFHA, in acres, and count the number of buildings in thE SFHA

8. CRS Basics Voluntary program
Recognizes good floodplain management above and beyond the minimum requirements of the NFIP
Modeled on the fire insurance rating system
Insurance Services Office (ISO)
ISO/CRS Specialist in West Virginia:
Tom Brett

9. Costs to Community Pass a CAV Designate CRS Coordinator
Implement activities
Elevation certificates
Repetitive Loss Plan
Maintain records

10. Minimum Requirements for Participation in the CRS...
Communities must maintain FEMA’s Elevation Certificates for all new and substantially improved construction after the date of application for CRS classification.

11. Repetitive Losses
Communities with 10 or more repetitive loss properties must implement a repetitive loss plan
Repetitive Loss: two or more losses within the last ten years that exceed $1,000
Repetitive loss communities have differing requirements depending on the number of repetitive
loss (RL) buildings they have.
• A Category A community (no unmitigated RL buildings) has no special
requirements except to submit information needed to update the repetitive loss list if
applicable.
• A Category B community (1 to 9 unmitigated RL buildings) must review and
describe its repetitive loss problem, prepare a map of the repetitive loss area(s),
prepare a list of the addresses of all improved properties in those areas, and
undertake an annual outreach project to those addresses. This is explained in Section
503. A copy of the outreach project is submitted with each year’s recertification.
• A Category C community (10 or more unmitigated RL buildings) must do the same
things as a Category B community AND prepare a floodplain management plan or
area analyses for its repetitive loss area(s). The plan and area analysis requirements
are explained in Activity 510 (Floodplain Management

12. Premium Discount Class Points SFHA Non‑SFHA 1 4,500 45% 10%
1 4, % 10%
2 4, % 10%
3 3, % 10%
4 3, % 10%
5 2, % 10%
6 2, % 10%
7 1, % 5%
8 1, % 5%
% 5%
Of 21,000 NFIP Participating Communities in US, only about 5-6 % are in CRS program, 1,000. Most enter into THE PROGRAM AT A CLASS 9, POSSIBLY AN 8, 36% are a class 7 or above.
To get into the higher categories, the community must commit to mitigation of repetitive loss properties, gain percentage of people having flood insurance, get into a higher BCEGS category, develop a comprehensive community flood hazard plan mitigation plan, etc.
NON –SFHA %’s, limited, already getting benefit of rates.

13. What If? City of Buckhannon 160 Policies: $155,767 premiums
Average premium $692
CRS Class 9: average savings $37 ($8227 total)
CRS Class 7: average savings $103 ($23,239 total)
CRS Class 5: savings $173 ($38,975 total)

14. What If? Kanawha County 2017 Policies: $1,434,394 premiums
Average premium $711
CRS Class 9: savings $33 ($66,008 total)
CRS Class 7: savings $92 ($184,687 total)
CRS Class 5: savings $154 ($310,035 total)

15. Benefits Money stays in the community
Insurance savings are a political plus!
Improved flood protection
Better organized programs
Evaluate vs. national benchmark
Technical assistance
Incentive to keep implementing
Public information builds constituency

16. Where are the CRS Communities?
About 5% of all NFIP communities participate representing 2/3 of all NFIP policies. In Region 3 we have 68 participating communities. 5.6mm policies.
A lot of participation in the coastal states especially FL, CA gulf states and Pacific Northwest. Our highest rated CRS community is in Roseville CA.

17. West Virginia CRS Communities
Berkeley County
Buckhannon
Charleston
Jefferson County
Philippi
West Virginia participating communities currently have 1312 PIF
They pay $1,147,674 in premiums
They save $ 73, 035
Our non-CRS communities have 20,111 PIF and currently pay $15,501,084 in premiums

19. Crediting Process Application Verification Verification Visit
Recertification
Modification
Cycle Verification

20. CRS/ISO REP-TOM BRETT
ISO= INSURANCE SERVICES OFFICES, THE CONTRACTOR COMPANY THAT ADMINISTERS THE CRS PROGRAM FOR FEMA. HE AND HIS ASSOCIATES WILL ADVISE AND GUIDE APPLICANTS; SCREEN AND PREAUDIT APPS; WORK WITH YOU TO MAXIMIZE POINTS EARNED; AND AUDIT AFTER ENTRY INTO THE PROGRAM ON A REGULAR BASIS TO MAINTAIN OR INCREASE CRS CLASS STANDING.

21. Four Categories of Activities
300 Series – Public Information
400 Series – Mapping and Regulations
500 Series – Flood Damage Reduction
600 Series – Flood Preparedness

22. 300 PUBLIC INFORMATION ACTIVITIES
310 Elevation Certificate
320 Map Information
330 Outreach Projects
340 Hazard Disclosure
350 Flood Protection Library
360 Flood Protection Assistance
Mandatory items: 310, repetitive loss plan (with 10 or more repetitive losses), fully compliant (as determined by CAVless than 1 year old).

23. 400 MAPPING AND REGULATORY ACTIVITIES
410 Additional Flood Data
420 Open Space Preservation
430 Higher Regulatory Standards
440 Flood Data Maintenance
450 Stormwater Management
Higher regulatory standards, big points

24. 500 FLOOD DAMAGE REDUCTION ACTIVITIES
510 Floodplain Management Planning
520 Acquisition and Relocation
530 Retrofitting
540 Drainage System Maintenance

25. 600 FLOOD PREPAREDNESS ACTIVITIES
610 Flood Warning Program
620 Levee Safety
630 Dam Safety
Dam Safety credit is based on State program

26. www.crs2012.org Self Assessment Tool
CFMs who complete the tool and leave comments can earn 3 CEC credits through ASFPM.

31. State Profile WV average 740 points 300 Series Public Information
310 – Ecs
320 – Map Information service
330 – Outreach Projects
340 – Hazard Disclosure
350 – Flood Protecxtion Information
360 – Flood Protection Assistance
400 Series – Mapping and Regulations
410 – Additional Flood Data
420 – Open Space Preservation
430 – Higher Regulatory Standards
440 – Flood Data Maintenance
450 – Stormwater Management
500 Series Flood Damage Reduction
510 – Floodplain management Planning
520 – Acquisition and Relocation
530 – Flood Protection
540 – Drainage System Maintenance
600 Series – Flood Preparedness
610 – Flood Warning
620 – Levee Safety
630 – Dam Safety

32. CGA + Community growth adjustment varies between 1.0 to 1.5

33. Uniform Minimum Credits
These numbers may be higher based on a community growth adjustment.
State mandated standards are for higher regulatory standards that are part of state code.
Erosion and sedimentation control earns another 30 points (as long as you are following state regulation) for the National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System Phase II program which requires all construction activities greater than 1 acre obtain a permit from Environmental Protection Agency, a delegtade state or a community with an MS4 permit
State Dam Safety currently earns 51.8 points but under the new manual this will not be automatic unless your community has a dam or is downstream of a dam and would be affected by a breach.

34. Activity
Element
Credit
Uniform Minimum Credit
430
State-mandated Standards (SMS) 1
450
Erosion & Sedimentation Control (ESC) 10
Total 11
Possible Additional Credit
630
State Dam Safety (SDS)
0 - 45
Model Ordinance
420
Natural Shoreline Protection (NSP)
Open Space Incentives (OSI) 65
Freeboard (FRB)
Cumulative Substantial Improvements (CSI) 60
Lower Substantial Improvements (LSI) 20
Enclosure Limitations (ENL) 30
Other Higher Standards (OHS)

35. HIGHER REGULATORY STANDARDS
FREEBOARD-80 POINTS PER FOOT
NO FILL IN FLOODPLAIN
2 ACRE/10 LOTS
STORM WATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM-REGULAR INSPECTION, NO DUMPING IN, ETC.
5 ACRES OPEN SPACE-UP TO 65 POINTS
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE
NON-CONVERSION AGREEMENT

36. Resources E278 NFIP/Community Rating System (at EMI):
User Groups
Locally offered workshops

37. CRS/ISO REP-TOM BRETT
ISO= INSURANCE SERVICES OFFICES, THE CONTRACTOR COMPANY THAT ADMINISTERS THE CRS PROGRAM FOR FEMA. HE AND HIS ASSOCIATES WILL ADVISE AND GUIDE APPLICANTS; SCREEN AND PREAUDIT APPS; WORK WITH YOU TO MAXIMIZE POINTS EARNED; AND AUDIT AFTER ENTRY INTO THE PROGRAM ON A REGULAR BASIS TO MAINTAIN OR INCREASE CRS CLASS STANDING.

38. Questions?