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<br />PSOO-22 <br /> <br />Bill Trakimas <br />Insurance Services Office, Inc. e <br />2033 Hamilton Lane <br />Carmel, IN 46032 <br />317/848-2898 <br />Fax: 317/848-3578 <br />wtrakimas@iso.com <br /> <br />The National Flood Insurance Program's Community Rating System <br /> <br />The Community Rating System (CRS) of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) <br />was implemented in 1990 with three goals: reduce flood losses, increase awareness of flood <br />insurance, and promote accurate insurance rating. The CRS is administered by the Federal <br />Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) but most of the field work is conducted by the <br />Insurance Services Office under a contract with several Write Your Own flood insurance <br />companies. <br /> <br />There are now over 900 communities whose insured residents receive flood insurance <br />premium discounts based on their communities' implementation of public information, mapping, <br />regulatory, mitigation, and emergency preparedness activities that go well beyond minimum NFIP <br />requirements. While premium discounts for residents are one of the benefits of participation in <br />CRS, it is more important that these communities are carrying out activities that reduce property _ <br />damage and save lives. The 900 communities represent a significant portion of the nation's flood .. <br />risk - over 66% of the NFIP's policy base. <br /> <br />The CRS was developed with the benefit of advice and effort by federal, state, and local <br />officials; professionals with expertise in floodplain management and insurance; and academicians. <br />A multi-disciplinary approach led to the successful implementation of the program and this same <br />approach has been employed in reviewing and refining the CRS over its first ten years. There has <br />been a continual improvement on the forms, manuals, and training workshops and materials based <br />on feedback from communities and field staff. <br /> <br />e <br />