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The National Flood Insurance Program's (NFIP's) Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes communities for implementing floodplain management practices that exceed the Federal minimum requirements of the NFIP to provide protection from flooding.
In exchange for a community's proactive efforts to reduce flood risk, policyholders can receive reduced flood insurance premiums for buildings in the community. These reduced premiums reflect the reduced flood risk resulting from community efforts toward achieving the three CRS goals:
Participation in the Community Rating System (CRS) is voluntary. By participating, communities earn credit points that determine classifications. There are 10 CRS Classes: Class 1 requires the most credit points and provides the largest flood insurance premium reduction (45 percent), while Class 10 means the community does not participate in the CRS or has not earned the minimum required credit points, and residents receive no premium reduction. The CRS Classes are based on completion of 19 creditable activities organized into 4 categories:
Read more about CRS Classes, credit points, and premium reductions.
See CRS Creditable Activities to learn more about CRS activities.
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More than 1,200 communities from all 50 states participate in the Community Rating System (CRS). Roseville, CA, is the only CRS Class 1 community. More than 70 communities have a CRS Class 5 or better ranking, meaning premiums for residents in high-risk areas are reduced by at least 25 percent. Click here to view a list of FEMA CRS communities, including Class rankings and insurance premium reductions.
The Community Rating System (CRS) program provides communities with credits for 19 floodplain management activities categorized by public information, flood hazard mapping and regulations, flood damage reduction, and flood warning and response efforts.
The 2013 National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System Coordinator's Manual describes the activities, including the specific services provided by communities and the types of regulations, projects, or programs implemented by communities. Click here for a list of the 19 CRS program activities.
The National Flood Insurance Program's (NFIP's) Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes communities for implementing floodplain management practices that exceed the Federal minimum requirements of the NFIP to provide protection from flooding.
In exchange for a community's proactive efforts to reduce flood risk, policyholders can receive reduced flood insurance premiums for buildings in the community. These reduced premiums reflect the reduced flood risk resulting from community efforts toward achieving the three CRS goals:
Flood insurance premium reductions are determined by a community's CRS Class. Policyholders in a CRS community can receive premium reductions from 5 percent to as much as a 45 percent for an insured building in a CRS Class 1 community.
What are CRS Classes?Each CRS-participating community is assigned a Class number ranging from CRS Class 1 to 10, based on credit points it earns for implementing various floodplain management practices. A CRS Class 1 is the most favorable classification, and CRS Class 9 is an introductory Class. A community with a CRS Class 10 designation no longer participates in the CRS.
See CRS Classes, Credit Points, and Premium Discounts to learn more.
How many communities are in the CRS?More than 1,200 communities from all 50 states participate in the CRS. While these communities represent just 5 percent of all NFIP communities, more than two-thirds of all NFIP policies are in CRS cities and counties. Click here for a list of CRS communities.
CRS Classes are determined by the number of CRS credit points a community earns for completing any of the 19 CRS activities included in the National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System Coordinator's Manual. Points are confirmed during a review of the community's floodplain management program, called a verification visit, by the Insurance Services Office (ISO), the CRS contractor for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
What CRS Class is my community?Click here for a list of FEMA CRS communities to see whether your community participates in the CRS, and if it does, you will see its CRS Class and the flood insurance premium reduction residents receive.
My community is in the CRS. How can it get a better CRS Class and earn a bigger premium reduction?A community can improve its CRS Class and increase the premium reduction for residents by completing more CRS activities, which both reduce the risk for flood damage and earn your community credits. There are 19 creditable activities grouped into 4 categories:
Specific activities are described in the National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System Coordinator's Manual.
My community is not in the CRS. How can we join?A community can apply for CRS participation as long as it is in good standing with the NFIP, which is determined by FEMA after conducting a Community Assistance Visit (CAV). See "Joining the CRS" for more information on how to join the CRS.
No. Joining the CRS is free. However, completing CRS activities and maintaining a CRS rating will require a degree of commitment from the community, including dedicated staff. For example:
A community can apply to the CRS at any time. Community CRS classifications go into effect on May 1 and October 1 each year. It takes approximately 18 months from the time a community submits its letter of interest to the FEMA Regional Office until the community becomes officially listed as a CRS participating community.
I'm a community official and am interested in joining the CRS. What do I do?To request a CRS classification, follow these steps:
The CRS benefits property owners by providing:
Participating in the CRS enables communities to:
Contact the FEMA Regional Office or your ISO/CRS Specialist for more information.
Participation in the Community Rating System (CRS) is voluntary. By participating, communities earn credit points that determine classifications. There are 10 CRS Classes: Class 1 requires the most credit points and provides the largest flood insurance premium reduction (45 percent), while Class 10 means the community does not participate in the CRS or has not earned the minimum required credit points, and residents receive no premium reduction. The CRS Classes are based on completion of 19 creditable activities organized into 4 categories:
Read more about CRS Classes, credit points, and premium reductions.
See CRS Creditable Activities to learn more about CRS activities.
View transcript [PDF]
View transcript [DOC]
Note: Adobe Reader is required to view PDF documents. Download the Free Adobe Reader
Note: The Microsoft Word Viewer is required to download Microsoft Word documents. Download the Microsoft Word Viewer
The Community Rating System (CRS) program provides communities with credits for 19 floodplain management activities categorized by public information, flood hazard mapping and regulations, flood damage reduction, and flood warning and response efforts.
The 2013 National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System Coordinator's Manual describes the activities, including the specific services provided by communities and the types of regulations, projects, or programs implemented by communities. Click here for a list of the 19 CRS program activities.
The National Flood Insurance Program's (NFIP's) Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes communities for implementing floodplain management practices that exceed the Federal minimum requirements of the NFIP to provide protection from flooding.
In exchange for a community's proactive efforts to reduce flood risk, policyholders can receive reduced flood insurance premiums for buildings in the community. These reduced premiums reflect the reduced flood risk resulting from community efforts toward achieving the three CRS goals:
Flood insurance premium reductions are determined by a community's CRS Class. Policyholders in a CRS community can receive premium reductions from 5 percent to as much as a 45 percent for an insured building in a CRS Class 1 community.
What are CRS Classes?Each CRS-participating community is assigned a Class number ranging from CRS Class 1 to 10, based on credit points it earns for implementing various floodplain management practices. A CRS Class 1 is the most favorable classification, and CRS Class 9 is an introductory Class. A community with a CRS Class 10 designation no longer participates in the CRS.
See CRS Classes, Credit Points, and Premium Discounts to learn more.
How many communities are in the CRS?More than 1,200 communities from all 50 states participate in the CRS. While these communities represent just 5 percent of all NFIP communities, more than two-thirds of all NFIP policies are in CRS cities and counties. Click here for a list of CRS communities.
CRS Classes are determined by the number of CRS credit points a community earns for completing any of the 19 CRS activities included in the National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System Coordinator's Manual. Points are confirmed during a review of the community's floodplain management program, called a verification visit, by the Insurance Services Office (ISO), the CRS contractor for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
What CRS Class is my community?Click here for a list of FEMA CRS communities to see whether your community participates in the CRS, and if it does, you will see its CRS Class and the flood insurance premium reduction residents receive.
My community is in the CRS. How can it get a better CRS Class and earn a bigger premium reduction?A community can improve its CRS Class and increase the premium reduction for residents by completing more CRS activities, which both reduce the risk for flood damage and earn your community credits. There are 19 creditable activities grouped into 4 categories:
Specific activities are described in the National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System Coordinator's Manual.
My community is not in the CRS. How can we join?A community can apply for CRS participation as long as it is in good standing with the NFIP, which is determined by FEMA after conducting a Community Assistance Visit (CAV). See "Joining the CRS" for more information on how to join the CRS.
No. Joining the CRS is free. However, completing CRS activities and maintaining a CRS rating will require a degree of commitment from the community, including dedicated staff. For example:
A community can apply to the CRS at any time. Community CRS classifications go into effect on May 1 and October 1 each year. It takes approximately 18 months from the time a community submits its letter of interest to the FEMA Regional Office until the community becomes officially listed as a CRS participating community.
I'm a community official and am interested in joining the CRS. What do I do?To request a CRS classification, follow these steps:
The CRS benefits property owners by providing:
Participating in the CRS enables communities to:
Contact the FEMA Regional Office or your ISO/CRS Specialist for more information.
We are always looking to hear from individuals, communities, and organizations. Tell us what you are doing to prepare your community for flooding so that we can share your story with others.
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