Westminster, MD, Wednesday, June 7, 2023 – Carroll County is pleased to announce an improved ranking in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS), advancing from Class 7 to Class 6, which will result in reduced flood insurance premiums for the county and residents. Credit is provided for community activities such as preserving open space in the floodplain, enforcing stormwater management and floodplain regulations, and providing residents with information on flood insurance.  Flood insurance premium reductions are dependent on the number of points that a community accumulates within the program. 

The CRS is a voluntary program within the NFIP that provides flood insurance premium reductions to eligible policyholders within the community.  Flood insurance premium reductions are dependent on the number of points that a community accumulates within the program.  A 5% discount is accumulated for every 500 points that a community earns.  A CRS class 1 community would receive a 45% premium reduction, while a CRS Class 9 community would receive a 5% premium reduction.  Carroll County joined the CRS as a class 8 in 2006.  Carroll County improved to a class 7 in 2018.  Based on work completed by staff over the last year, Carroll County will improve to a Class 6, which will take effect on October 1, 2023.  Thus, eligible policy holders within the County will receive a 20% discount on their flood insurance policies.

Carroll County (unincorporated areas) is viewed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a community independent of the incorporated cities and towns within the county.  Carroll County has a total of 136 flood insurance policies.  Improving from a Class 7 ($118 discount per policy) to a Class 6 ($174 discount per policy) equates to an average additional savings of $56 per policy.  However, the average discount for policies within the FEMA floodplain improves from $322 to $429.  The total premium discount for all flood insurance policies in Carroll County, as a Class 6 Community, is $23,609.  County staff is currently working on additional creditable activities to improve the rating of Carroll County to a Class 5 community.

For more information about this topic, please contact Patrick Varga, CFM, Environmental Review Supervisor and Floodplain Management/GIS Specialist at 410-386-2844 or pvarga@carrollcountymd.gov.