Flood Insurance Premiums and Risk Rating 2.0
The National Flood Insurance Program is administered by FEMA, who is the entity charged with determining rates (premiums) for individual flood insurance policies. Historically, FEMA has developed rates based predominantly on Flood Insurance Map Rate (FIRM) zones and base flood elevation. However, FEMA has announced that it intends to rehaul its methodology for determining individual flood insurance rates through a program called Risk Rating 2.0.
FEMA has indicated that Risk Rating 2.0 will be implemented in 2020, with new premiums going into effect by October 2020. However, at this time, the actual components of Risk Rating 2.0 remain unknown. Initial announcements on Risk Rating 2.0 indicate that FEMA will take into consideration (among other factors) distance from potential flood source and cost to rebuild. If sufficient consideration is not given for the quality of flood protection afforded by local levee systems (such as the one protecting LID 15), individual homeowner flood insurance premiums within areas, such as LID 15, could increase due to Risk Rating 2.0.
LID 15, together with Fort Bend County Precinct 4 Commissioner Ken DeMerchant, support efforts to require FEMA to provide transparency and opportunity for stakeholder input in developing Risk Rating 2.0 prior to its adoption and implementation. As an interested member of the community, if you would like to support this effort, you may sign the Commissioner’s petition (with a copy of his letter to Congress) at this link:
For more information: