Flooding & Flood Risks

Why the PRP Extension?

Since 2003, FEMA has led a major effort to update the nation's flood maps to reflect current flood risks. Flood risks can, and do, change over time due to community development, aging flood control structures, erosion, and other factors. As a result, many property owners have learned that their risk of flooding has increased and that their property has been newly mapped into a high-risk area. This can mean new, mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements; however, the NFIP offers a cost-saving option. If your property was newly mapped into a high-risk flood zone on or after October 1, 2008, you still may be eligible for the lower-cost Preferred Risk Policy (PRP).

Who is eligible?

• To be eligible for the PRP, your building must meet certain loss-history requirements. If there have been two disaster relief payments, or claims for flood losses of $1,000 or more, or three losses of any amount, you cannot obtain a PRP.
• If you are the owner of a building that meets the loss history requirements and was newly mapped into a high-risk flood zone (shown on a flood map as a zone beginning with the letter "A" or "V") since October 1, 2008, you are eligible to purchase or renew a PRP.
• The PRP option will continue until FEMA completes its analysis and implementation of premium rate revisions put in place by the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012.

What you need to do

Talk to your insurance agent. Previous and current flood zone documentation for your property will be needed to validate your PRP extension eligibility. Historic maps and current effective maps are available through FEMA's Map Service website: www.msc.fema.gov. If you have questions or would like more information, you can call the NFIP Help Center at 1-800-427-4661 for assistance.

Information for Community Stakeholders

Information for Agents

Information For Lenders

Fact Sheet [PDF 232K] text only version [4K]

For information on Why Historic Flood Maps are important [PDF 1.4MB] text only version [8K]

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