Overview

As an initial step in promoting flood insurance, your community can be awarded credits for assessing flood insurance coverage. For this element communities should follow the following steps:

1. Obtain the flood insurance data for your community from the NFIP Community Information System (CIS)

2. Detail your community’s flood insurance coverage by

   • comparing insured buildings to uninsured buildings or by
   • calculating the percentage of insured buildings by flood zone
3. Prepare an assessment document that includes the data collection process, the summary data, a narrative of the flood insurance coverage in your community, and recommendations on how to improve coverage in your community. This assessment can be a part of the flood insurance coverage improvement plan, the Program for Public Information (PPI), or the floodplain management plan.
4. Submit the document to your community’s governing body
5. Update the document every 5 years.

Documentation

You must provide:

• The assessment document
• Proof that the document was submitted to the governing body

Credit Calculation

Max:15

There is no impact adjustment for this element.

Overview

Building on 372.a, this element involves mobilizing the findings from the Flood insurance coverage assessment (FIA) to improve your community’s flood insurance coverage.

For this element you can follow the following steps:

1. Convene a planning committee made up of at least 5 people, including one or more people from the floodplain management office, one or more people from the public information office, and one or more people from local insurance agencies. Make sure at least 50% of the committee is local government officials.
2. With the committee, prepare a coverage improvement plan that includes a list of the committee members, the flood insurance assessment from 372.a, current outreach projects that promote flood insurance, outcomes for improving flood insurance coverage, and a description of each outreach project (what, who and when). Make sure at least one outreach project includes your community’s local leaders. Remember to include the monitoring and evaluation process for the plan.
3. Submit the plan to FEMA Regional Office and your community’s governing body.
4. Prepare an evaluation report every year, and update the plan every 5 years.

Considerations

Element 372.a Flood insurance coverage assessment (FIA) is a prerequisite for this element.

Documentation

To document this element, you should provide:

• Your flood insurance coverage improvement plan
• Proof that the plan was submitted to your community’s governing body

At annual recertification:

• Copy of the evaluation report
• Proof that the report was submitted to the governing body

Credit Calculation

Max: 30

A community can receive 15 points for the development of the coverage improvement plan and an additional 15 points if 2 or more local insurance agents are part of the committee. At least 1 of the agents needs to be an Associate in the National Flood Insurance (ANFI).

There is no impact adjustment for this element.

Overview

Building on 372.a and 372.b, this element awards credits for the implementation of the outreach projects identified in the coverage improvement plan. Your community should only implement projects listed in the plan and implement at least one project that includes local leaders.

Considerations

372.a. Flood insurance coverage assessment (FIA) and 372.b. Coverage improvement plan (CP) are prerequisites for this element. Your community can include all 3 of these elements in the Program for Public Information (PPI).

Documentation

To document this element you must provide copies of outreach projects conducted to improve coverage.

Credit Calculation

Max:60

You can receive 2 credits for informational projects, 4 credits for general outreach projects, 12 credits for targeted outreach projects - all multiplied by the number of times the outreach project are disseminated each year. Additional credits are awarded if this element is included in the Program for Public Information (PPI). There is no impact adjustment for this element.

Overview

This element involves improving flood insurance coverage by providing technical assistance on flood insurance to the public.

To receive credits your community must:

• Identify a person to provide technical flood insurance assistance (this does not have to be a staff person)

• Publicize the service annually through:

  • A notice to the whole community;
  • A notice to all properties in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA); or
  • An outreach project in the Program for Public Information (PPI)
• Provide flood insurance advice, in person or over the phone
• Maintain records of the advice given

Considerations

A staff person will need to take charge of providing technical advice on flood insurance. This element should be discussed in the documentation for 372.c Coverage improvement plan implementation.

Documentation

To document this element you must provide at verification visits:

• If a local staff person is not providing this service, a letter outlining the service agreement
• Documentation of how the advice is publicized

• Records of the service such as reports, emails, work orders, etc., including:

  • Date of conversation/exchange
  • Details of the findings
  • Recommendations provided

For annual recertification:

• Documentation of how the advice is publicized

Credit Calculation

Max: 35

You can receive 20 credits for technical assistance and 15 additional credits if the assistance is provided by an Associate in National Flood Insurance. There is no impact adjustment for this element.

Overview

This element promotes distrubiting Flood Insurance Brochures to residents to increase awareness of the necessity of having flood insurance in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA).

Considerations

The community must already be receiving Coverage Improvement Plan (CP) and Coverage Improvement Plan Implementation (CPI) credits. Records of brochure distribution must be kept.

Documentation

At each recertification visit:

• A copy of the brochure
• A description of when and how the brochure is provided

Credit Calculation

Max: 25

You can receive 15 points for including a Flood Insurance Brochure (FIB) with every building permit issued and 10 additional points for mailing the brochure to all residents in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA).

Overview

This element promotes having an annual town hall or open house to educate and assist community members on the hazards of flooding in their area and the benefits having flood insurance can provide. Involving the State Insurance Commissioner's office is recommended.

Considerations

The community must already be receiving Coverage Improvement Plan (CP) and Coverage Improvement Plan Implementation (CPI) credits. The meeting must be held annually for the specific purpose of discussing flood insurance and open to all residents and property owners.

Documentation

At each recertification visit:

• A copy of the advertisement for the meeting or sign-in sheet
• Documentation of the involvement of the State Insurance Commissioner

Credit Calculation

Max: 40

Up to 20 points for having a meeting about flood insurance with an additional 20 points if the State Insurance Commissioner's office participated.

Overview

You can receive credit by requiring insurance agents to maintain a minimum amount of continuing education (CE) credits for flood insurance.

Considerations

The community must already be receiving Coverage Improvement Plan (CP) credit.

Documentation

At each recertification visit:

• A copy or link to the continuing education (CE) credit requirement

Credit Calculation

Max: 15

Either 7 points if the state mandates insurance agents 3 continuing education (CE) credits in a minimum 4 year period or 15 points if the state mandates continuing education (CE) credits for every license renewal.