Homeowners in Lewes, Delaware, will soon pay less for flood insurance after the town earned a higher flood management rating from the Federal Emergency Management Agency – or FEMA.
FEMA is a United States government organization within the Department of Homeland Security that helps Americans prepare for, and respond to, large-scale natural disasters.
Beginning in October, flood insurance premiums in Lewes will decrease by 15% after the town’s FEMA Community Rating System classification improves from a Class 8 to a Class 7.
The FEMA program is a voluntary program that rewards communities which take additional steps to reduce flood risk. The better a community’s rating, the larger the discount residents can receive on flood insurance premiums.
FEMA bases the ratings on efforts to reduce flood damage to insurable properties, strengthen the National Flood Insurance Program and promote comprehensive floodplain management.
Interactive FEMA Community Rating System map for Delaware and South Jersey
Town officials said Lewes improved its rating through several initiatives, including adopting stricter construction standards, increasing public outreach, preserving key open spaces, and improving the collection of flood-related data.
One resident noted that some buildings and homes in the area have yet to experience flooding.
“I would make the point that there are some really old cottages here that are not built up and have never been flooded,” she said.
According to FEMA, nearby Delaware beach towns have lower ratings than Lewes. Rehoboth Beach is currently a Class 8 community, while Dewey Beach is a Class 9.
Along the Jersey Shore, many communities made significant investments in flood mitigation after Superstorm Sandy and have earned even higher FEMA ratings. Ocean City is rated as a Class 4 community; Sea Isle City and Avalon are both Class 3 communities, and Cape May is a Class 5.
Those higher classifications provide larger discounts on flood insurance premiums. Residents in a Class 5 community receive a 25% discount, while Class 4 communities receive a 30% discount and Class 3 communities receive a 35% discount.
Lewes officials said they believe the town could eventually earn a Class 6 rating, increasing the flood insurance discount by another 5%, to 20%.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication.
