St. Charles Parish announced that it has earned an improved Class 6 rating through FEMA’s Community Rating System (CRS), opening the door for potentially lower flood insurance rates for eligible policyholders in the community.
St. Charles Parish previously held a Class 7 rating. The move to Class 6 increases the maximum CRS discount available on qualifying National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) premiums from 15 percent to 20 percent.
The new classification takes effect October 1.
“This is a significant accomplishment for St. Charles Parish and, most importantly, one that can directly benefit our residents,” Parish President Matthew Jewell said. “Achieving a Class 6 rating places St. Charles Parish among the higher-rated communities in our region and demonstrates that the work we are doing to strengthen flood protection, improve development standards and reduce flood risk is making a measurable difference. Those efforts are being recognized at the federal level and can translate into greater flood insurance savings for our residents.”
The Community Rating System is a voluntary FEMA program that recognizes communities that implement floodplain management practices exceeding the minimum requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program. Communities earn credits for those efforts, and higher CRS classifications can result in greater flood insurance premium discounts for qualifying policyholders.
Parish officials credited the improved classification to the continued work of the Department of Planning and Zoning, in coordination with departments across parish government.
FEMA evaluates activities including public information and outreach, open space preservation, higher regulatory standards, stormwater management, floodplain management planning and flood protection projects.
Under the CRS program, a Class 7 community receives a 15 percent premium discount, while a Class 6 community receives a 20 percent discount on qualifying premiums.
Beginning Oct. 1, new NFIP policies and policies currently at the full-risk premium that are issued or renewed on or after that date may qualify for the 20 percent CRS discount. The CRS discount does not apply to fees and surcharges.
Because NFIP premiums are calculated differently depending on the individual property and policy, not every policyholder will immediately see an additional 5 percent reduction, according to the St. Charles Parish deputy public information officer Gabrielle Rankin. Many existing NFIP policies in St. Charles Parish already receive other discounts or are subject to statutory rate caps and are not currently paying the full-risk premium. Depending on the individual policy, those policyholders may receive some CRS discount or may not see an additional discount as a result of the Class 6 rating, Rankin said.
Parish officials encourage residents to maintain their existing NFIP coverage and contact their insurance agent or NFIP provider before making any changes to a policy.
Existing NFIP policies may also be assumable by a new owner when a property is sold, potentially allowing certain existing policy discounts to transfer with the policy. Parish officials advise that residents should speak directly with their insurance agent or NFIP provider to understand how the new CRS classification affects their individual coverage and premium.
Additional information about the National Flood Insurance Program is available through FloodSmart.gov.
