| SARASOTA COUNTY – Thanks to a collaborative effort within the community, Sarasota County retained a Class 5 rating with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), qualifying residents to receive a maximum 25 percent discount on their annual flood insurance premiums for another three years. The Community Rating System (CRS) program prepared the FEMA audit. The results of the audit were received by the county April 1, 2020. Sarasota County received 3,605 community credits to retain a Class 5 rating, which enabled citizens to continue to receive up to a 25 percent annual discount on their NFIP insurance. This rating recognized Sarasota County as a safer community based on the best practices for flood prevention and activities performed beyond minimum requirements and resulted in savings for citizens. The CRS program promotes education and outreach, as well as provides assistance with accurate insurance ratings. “This savings is a tangible result of the flood mitigation activities your community implements to protect lives and reduce property damage,” according to the letter from FEMA that announced the county’s results. The collective annual reduction in premiums for Sarasota County residents is over $7 million a year. The county has taken many steps to reduce flood loss in the community since 1992 and successfully maintained a Class 5 rating in the CRS program since 2007. Rainy season and hurricane season are just around the corner. Now is the time to consider purchasing flood insurance for “peace of mind.” “Anywhere it rains it can flood. Sarasota County is proud of the work that goes into maintaining this rating, making the community safer and bringing a financial savings to our citizens,” Sarasota County Public Utilities Stormwater Community Rating System Specialist Donna Bailey said. For more information about flood zones and flood insurance call 941-861-5000. Sarasota County prohibits discrimination in all services, programs or activities. View the complete policy at www.scgov.net (keywords: ADA compliance) |