NFIP Discounts
The NFIP offers three main types of premium discounts to encourage participation in flood insurance and promote mitigation efforts: statutory, mitigation, and CRS.
Statutory Discounts
What They Are: Statutory discounts are mandated by law to encourage community and property owner participation in the NFIP.
Eligible Properties:
- Pre-FIRM buildings (constructed before the community's initial Flood Insurance Rate Map).
- Buildings that were Newly Mapped into a Special Flood Hazard Area from a Non-Special Flood Hazard Area.
- Emergency Program properties.
Phasing Out/Glide Path: These discounts gradually reduce through annual caps on premium increases until the policy reaches its full-risk rate.
- A lapse in coverage may result in the loss of eligibility.
- Only the most beneficial statutory discount applies if multiple are available.
Mitigation Discounts
What They Are: Mitigation discounts are incentives for policyholders who implement flood risk-reduction measures, recorded on the application or applied through policy changes.
NFIP Mitigation Actions:
- Elevating machinery and equipment (e.g., furnaces, HVAC systems) above the building's first floor.
- Installing proper flood openings (vents) in enclosures to minimize hydrostatic pressure and reduce damage.
- Floodproofing
Community Rating System (CRS) Discounts
What They Are: CRS Discounts are offered to policyholders in communities that exceed minimum floodplain management standards.
How It Works:
- Communities earn credit points for activities such as public education, flood mapping, and preparedness efforts.
- These points determine the community's CRS class (1–10), with Class 1 providing the highest discount (up to 45%).
Eligibility:
- Applies uniformly across eligible properties within the community.
- Ineligible for properties with significant floodplain violations or non-compliance with community regulations.
These discounts encourage long-term mitigation, compliance, and community participation, making flood insurance more affordable while promoting risk-reduction strategies.