Federal program rating means flood insurance discount for Marathon

Nearly 3,000 flood-insurance policyholders in Marathon will see a 20 percent break on their premiums in the new year.

The discount is for those whose policies renew in March, thanks to a recent rating from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, announced Thursday.

Although Marathon has been part of FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program since the city was incorporated in 1999, city officials enrolled in the Community Rating System in August. The program encourages extra floodplain management in exchange for discounts to residents on their flood insurance.

On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst, the city was rated a 6, resulting in a savings of 20 percent for flood insurance policy holders. That breaks down to a savings of $100 per month on a premium of $500, or an annual savings of $1,200 for a homeowner who currently pays $6,000 per year.

Combined, Marathon residents pay more than $4.1 million a year in flood insurance.

Statewide, 27 percent of the 219 communities enrolled in the Community Rating System are rated a 6. The majority are rated 7 and only 26 communities are rated 5 or better.

Credit points are given for 19 different activities that fall into four categories: Public Information; Mapping and Regulations; Flood Damage Reduction; and Flood Preparedness. Of a total 12,304 points possible, the average nationwide number of points for any given community is 1,947, or a score of 7.

“This was a tremendous effort by [senior planner] Brian Shea, [city FEMA coordinator] Adriana Marchino and [Fire] Chief John Johnson,” said City Manager Chuck Lindsey.

The city can apply for re-evaluation each year for a higher rating and better savings.

Residents and business owners in unincorporated Monroe County are also eligible for federal flood insurance discounts now that the county has been rated a 6 in the CRS program. That means a combined savings of more than $3.6 million annually to the county’s 15,000 National Flood Insurance Program policyholders.