Understanding the Community Rating System (CRS) Classes

The CRS program recognizes communities that go above and beyond the minimum requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to make their communities more resilient. The Community Rating System (CRS) ranks communities in 10 tiers, also known as classes. A community’s class ranking determines what premium discount National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policyholders will receive within that community. 

CRS Class 10 communities are those that do not participate in the CRS. Policyholders within these communities receive no premium discount. Communities that opt-in to participating in the CRS may be ranked from 9 to 1, with 1 being the highest classification and the largest premium discount for policyholders. 

There are 19 categories of creditable activities within the CRS. The activities translate to points, which impact the class ranking. Communities that are considering participating in CRS should understand the differences in the classes. Evaluating what practices are already in-place, versus what will be needed to achieve specific rankings within the CRS will inform the anticipated expense of participation and can be useful in discussions with local policymakers. 

NFIP Flood Insurance Premium Discounts

Points, also known as credits, received in the CRS program will determine the premium discount a community is able to provide to NFIP policyholders. Here is a table provided by FEMA demonstrating the credits needed to achieve various classes, and the associated premium discounts. 

Prerequisites

CRS ranking isn’t only about the number of points achieved. An important consideration are the prerequisites for specific classes. Each class builds on the previous class. For example, the prerequisites of the lowest class – Class 9 – apply to every class that follows.

Class 9

Class 9 is the entry-level classification, with a minimum of 500 CRS points required. In addition, for Class 9 and above, communities must meet the following prerequisites. 

• The community must have participated in the NFIP for at least one year. The community must also be in full compliance with the NFIP. If the community is ever found to be noncompliant, it will be moved back to Class 10. The community also must maintain flood insurance policies on all properties owned by the community. 
• A community must create a plan for managing construction certificates – including Elevation Certificates – related to development in the floodplain. The community must also maintain at least 90% accuracy of these certificates. 
• If a community has one or more repetitive loss properties it must review and update the list of repetitive loss properties provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It must also have a map, describe areas of losses, and provide outreach to those areas. If a community has 50 or more repetitive loss properties, it must also prepare a repetitive loss area analysis. 
• For coastal communities, the Limit of Moderate Wave Action (LiMWA) must be shown on final published Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). This is voluntary for non-CRS Communities, but participating in the CRS makes it mandatory. 

Class 8 

To be in Class 8 or above, a community must formally adopt and enforce at least one foot of freeboard for all residential buildings in numbered zones within the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). 

Class 6 

To be in Class 6 or above, a community must achieve a Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS) classification of 5/5 or better. This program evaluates the community’s building code adoption and enforcement related to hazard mitigation. This score is developed when a community proposes entering the CRS or changing classes. 

Class 4 

Class 4 communities and above have a higher burden than the rankings below them. Class 4 communities must achieve and maintain a classification of 4/4 or better under the BCEGS. They must also adopt and enforce higher regulatory standards, complete stormwater management activities, and adopt and implement a floodplain management plan. 

Additionally, Class 4 communities and above must achieve specific credits as outlined in the CRS program. They must also document specific life safety measures, including mapping all levees and areas protected by levees, analyzing dam failure threats, and mapping hazard areas associated with high-hazard dam failures. 

Class 1

Class 1 communities must meet all the prerequisites of lower classes, in addition to many other prerequisites. They must be in compliance with the NFIP, and maintain such compliance within 12 months of a Community Assistance Visit (CAV). 

Class 1 communities must also aggressively promote flood insurance. This must be documented by either showing that 50% of buildings in the SFHA are covered by flood insurance, or by obtaining at least 50% of the credit points provided through CRS for Flood Insurance Promotion. 

Class 1 communities must also show they maintain a “no adverse impact” approach to floodplain management. This means the actions of individual property owners and the community itself cannot increase flood stage, flood velocity, flood flows, or erosion and sedimentation associated with flooding. To prove “no adverse impact” a community must have received credit for various activities within CRS. 

How Forerunner Can Help

Forerunner’s platform is designed to simplify your CRS processes and maximize program benefits in a few key ways.

• Manage data. Centralize your data with one source of truth for compliance and the CRS.
• Increase discounts. Leverage Forerunner’s public-facing and internal features to maximize the credits you’re receiving through the CRS.
• Drive efficiency. Minimize the laborious work of compiling information for CRS review with key features, such as the data export tool.
• Simplify ISO visits. Save time preparing for recertification and verification visits by keeping your records updated year round.

Our platform is designed to make participation easier, so that your team can stay in the program without compromising staff time. Plus, you can perform annual CRS tasks with the same software you use for day-to-day floodplain management, streamlining your workflows. 

We know that meeting minimum requirements and reporting can be daunting - learn more about our features that can help, including Automated EC Error Detection, SI/SD Tracking, Map Layering, Resident Logs, and Letter Generation, or request a demo.