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Affordability of National Flood Insurance Program Premiums: Report 1 (2015)

Chapter: Appendix C-- Section 100236 Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 as Modified by HFIAA 2014, Section 16

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Suggested Citation:"Appendix C-- Section 100236 Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 as Modified by HFIAA 2014, Section 16." National Research Council. 2015. Affordability of National Flood Insurance Program Premiums: Report 1. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21709.
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Appendix C

Section 100236 – Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 as Modified by HFIAA 2014, Section 16

SEC. 100236. STUDY OF PARTICIPATION AND AFFORDABILITY FOR CERTAIN POLICYHOLDERS

(a) FEMA STUDY

The Administrator shall conduct a study of — (1) methods to encourage and maintain participation in the National Flood Insurance Program; (2) methods to educate consumers about the National Flood Insurance Program and the flood risk associated with their property; (3) methods for establishing an affordability framework for the National Flood Insurance Program, including methods to aid individuals to afford risk-based premiums under the National Flood Insurance Program through targeted assistance rather than generally subsidized rates, including means-tested vouchers; (4) the implications for the National Flood Insurance Program and the Federal budget of using each such method; (5) options for maintaining affordability if annual premiums for flood insurance coverage were to increase to an amount greater than 2 percent of the liability coverage amount under the policy, including options for enhanced mitigation assistance and means-tested assistance; (6) the effects that the establishment of catastrophe savings accounts would have regarding long-term affordability of flood insurance coverage; and (7) options for modifying the surcharge under 1308A, including based on homeowner income, property value or risk of loss.

(b) NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES ECONOMIC ANALYSIS

To inform the Administrator in the conduct of the study under subsection (a), the Administrator shall enter into a contract under which the National

Suggested Citation:"Appendix C-- Section 100236 Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 as Modified by HFIAA 2014, Section 16." National Research Council. 2015. Affordability of National Flood Insurance Program Premiums: Report 1. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21709.
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Academy of Sciences, in consultation with the Comptroller General of the United States, shall conduct and submit to the Administrator an economic analysis of the costs and benefits to the Federal Government of a flood insurance program with full risk-based premiums, combined with means-tested Federal assistance to aid individuals who cannot afford coverage, through an insurance voucher program. The analysis shall compare the costs of a program of risk-based rates and means-tested assistance to the current system of subsidized flood insurance rates and federally funded disaster relief for people without coverage.

(c) REPORT

Not later than 270 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives a report that contains the results of the study and analysis under this section.

(d) FUNDING

Notwithstanding section 1310 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4017), there shall be available to the Administrator from the National Flood Insurance Fund, of amounts not otherwise obligated, not more than $2,500,000 to carry out this section.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix C-- Section 100236 Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 as Modified by HFIAA 2014, Section 16." National Research Council. 2015. Affordability of National Flood Insurance Program Premiums: Report 1. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21709.
×
Page 139
Suggested Citation:"Appendix C-- Section 100236 Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 as Modified by HFIAA 2014, Section 16." National Research Council. 2015. Affordability of National Flood Insurance Program Premiums: Report 1. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/21709.
×
Page 140
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The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is housed within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and offers insurance policies that are marketed and sold through private insurers, but with the risks borne by the U.S. federal government. NFIP's primary goals are to ensure affordable insurance premiums, secure widespread community participation in the program, and earn premium and fee income that covers claims paid and program expenses over time. In July 2012, the U.S. Congress passed the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act (Biggert-Waters 2012), designed to move toward an insurance program with NFIP risk-based premiums that better reflected expected losses from floods at insured properties. This eliminated policies priced at what the NFIP called "pre-FIRM subsidized" and "grandfathered." As Biggert-Waters 2012 went into effect, constituents from multiple communities expressed concerns about the elimination of lower rate classes, arguing that it created a financial burden on policy holders. In response to these concerns Congress passed The Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 (HFIAA 2014). The 2014 legislation changed the process by which pre-FIRM subsidized premiums for primary residences would be removed and reinstated grandfathering. As part of that legislation, FEMA must report back to Congress with a draft affordability framework.

Affordability of National Flood Insurance Program Premiums: Report 1 is the first part of a two-part study to provide input as FEMA prepares their draft affordability framework. This report discusses the underlying definitions and methods for an affordability framework and the affordability concept and applications. Affordability of National Flood Insurance Program Premiums gives an overview of the demand for insurance and the history of the NFIP premium setting. The report then describes alternatives for determining when the premium increases resulting from Biggert-Waters 2012 would make flood insurance unaffordable.

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