Flood Insurance Update Reveals Ways to Trim Bill

VILLAS – Municipalities across the county participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS).  
Post Superstorm Sandy, with new flood hazard maps driving up insurance premiums, the CRS is a way for municipalities to help lower the cost of flood insurance. That may come through community-wide efforts to meet more stringent standards for protection against flood damage.
Lower Township has begun the application process to participate in the CRS. The Sept. 24 community outreach program at the Municipal Building was one of what will be many efforts as the township seeks to gain and then improve on a CRS rating. 
The outreach program was with Smart Vents Products’ Risk Reduction Group. Tyler Ardron, a certified floodplain manager with the vendor, was part of the team that addressed about 30 that attended.
The program consisted of a 30-minute introduction and presentation on general principles of the flood insurance system and 90 minutes in which Ardron and his team worked one-on-one with local property owners reviewing their insurance and options open to them to lower premiums.
The township’s role was as a facilitator bringing the groups together. 
Although many of the island municipalities have been part of the CRS for years, Avalon was the first to gain a Level 5 rating. That translated into a 25 percent discount on insurance premiums for property owners. Mainland municipalities did not take on the expense of participation until after the new hazard zones and premium structures post-Sandy impacted more property owners.
Lower Township’s newly-appointed municipal Assessor and CRS Coordinator Jennifer M. Dowe, is leading the effort for the township’s initial participation in the system. 
Her hope is that the township will not only be a participant in the system by May 2017; but that it can begin by earning a Level 9 status which would translate to a 5 percent discount on flood insurance premiums.
The CRS scale runs from 10, an initial participant with no discount, to 1, the most prepared level earning a 45 percent discount.
Each notch up in the rating represents another 5 percent discount level. Initial participation by May would mean the township has met the minimum standards of the NFIP.
As Dowe saw it, any help Risk Reduction Group could provide to homeowners will only aggregate to a benefit to the township in its effort to gain a favorable rating in the CRS.
The acronyms flew freely since the table banner said Smart Vent Products, presentations mentioned the Risk Reduction Group, and handouts spoke of Flood Risk Evaluator (FRE), a group of certified floodplain managers. 
Regardless of the corporate arrangements and partnerships, the result was a vendor-led presentation and outreach program that allowed some property owners to become familiar with the NFIP and actions they can take to mitigate potential flood damage and lower their premiums.
As part of the early first steps toward participation in the CRS, the outreach program is only one of many Lower Township property owners can expect in the future.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.