Baldwin Times

The City of Orange Beach has achieved an improved rating within the National Flood Insurance Program that will result in further discounts on flood insurance premiums for property owners.

During the city’s town hall meeting on March 1st, Mayor Tony Kennon announced that the city’s score in the NFIP’s Community Rating System (CRS) has been upgraded from a class 7 rating to a class 6. 

According to Adam Roberson, the city’s floodplain administrator, the new classification change will give Orange Beach property owners an additional 5% discount on flood insurance. Citizens within the City of Orange Beach can now receive a discount of 20% on their flood insurance policy if they are within a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) and a 10% discount non-SFHAs.

Orange Beach is the only city with a class 6 rating in Baldwin County and has the second best rating in the state of Alabama, according to Roberson. 

This program is saving citizens of Orange Beach over $250,000 in annual insurance premiums.  

The Community Rating System is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management practices that exceed the minimum requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program. More than 1,500 communities participate nationwide.

Under the CRS, flood insurance premium rates are discounted to reward community actions that meet the three goals of the CRS: (1) reduce flood damage to insurable property; (2) strengthen and support the insurance aspects of the NFIP; and (3) encourage a comprehensive approach to floodplain management 

Classifications are based on the community’s CRS credit points obtained in 19 creditable activities. The CRS activities are organized in four categories:

• Public Information
• Mapping and Regulations
• Flood Damage Reduction
• Warning and Response

For additional information, contact Roberson at aroberson@orangebeachal.gov.

Original source can be found here.