National Flood Insurance Program

(301) 883-3311

In 1968, Congress created the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in response to escalating costs to taxpayers to fund flood relief efforts and the increasing amount of damage caused by floods. NFIP, which is managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), makes Federally backed flood insurance available in communities that agree to adopt and enforce floodplain management regulations to reduce flood damage. There are currently over 19,000 communities nationwide that participate in NFIP. Prince George’s County has been participating in NFIP since 1972.

Community Rating System (CRS)

(301) 883-3311

The Community Rating System (CRS) is a program started in 1990 under the NFIP. The program was designed to recognize and encourage community floodplain management activities that exceed the minimum NFIP standards. Under the CRS, flood insurance premium rates are adjusted to reflect the reduced flood risk resulting from community activities that meet the three goals of the CRS. These goals include:

• Reduce flood loss;
• Facilitate accurate insurance rating; and
• Promote awareness of flood insurance.

There are ten classes in the CRS. Class 1 requires the most credit points and gives the largest premium reduction while Class 10 is the entry level into the CRS and carries no premium reduction. Prince George’s County is currently rated Class 5 under the CRS, which translates to a 25% reduction in flood insurance rates for local residents and businesses. The Class 5 rating places Prince George’s County in the top 2% of over 900 communities nationwide that participate in the CRS.