Dissemination of flood insurance information

The National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4001 et seq.) is amended by striking section 1313 and inserting the following:

1313.

Dissemination of flood insurance information

(a)

In general

The Administrator shall ensure that the declaration page for each flood insurance policy issued under the national flood insurance program for a property shall, not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of this section, include the following: (1)The current insurance premium for such property, including a description of any discounts being applied including any discounts associated with— (A)building, construction, or substantial improvement which began before the Administrator published an initial rate map for the community; (B)eligibility for less than actuarial rates under section 1307(a)(2) or section 1307(g); (C)the newly mapped property discount under section 1308(i); (D)an estimate of the number years remaining until the premium for such property shall match the full-risk based premium for such property, having accounted for the annual limitation on premium increases under section 1308(e); (E)available mitigation options and associated premium savings; (F)claim history; (G)the community rating system under section 1315(b); and (H)annual limitations on premium increases under section 1308(e). (2)Any annual limitations on premium increases under section 1308(e). (3)The replacement cost value. (4)As determined not to be exempted from release or disclosure under any applicable statute and not in violation of personally identifiable information privacy requirements by the Administrator, all rating factors for the property, and the property’s rate for each factor, under the risk premium rate estimated under section 1307(a)(1) of the National Flood Insurance Act, including the property’s base rate, building value, concentration risk, contents value, deductible insurance-to-value, drainage area, distance to the coast, distance to lake, distance to ocean, distance to river, elevation, elevation relative to lake, elevation relative to river, first floor height, floors of interest, foundation type, levee quality, machinery and equipment above first floor, replacement cost value, structural relative elevation, territory, and type of use. (5)Any special category that applies to the property, including repetitive loss property or severe repetitive loss property. (6)Any flood insurance requirement that applies to the property as a result of disaster assistance previously provided by the Administrator. (7)On and after the date that is 36 months after the date of the enactment of this section, the website address where the flood insurance information tool established pursuant to subsection (c) may be located. (b)

Explanation required

If any item of information required to be included on a declaration page under subsection (a) cannot be provided, an explanation of why such item of information cannot be provided shall be included on the declaration page. (c)

Required information sharing

The Administrator shall, beginning on the date that is 12 months after the date of the enactment of this section, share with each insurer that issues a flood insurance policy for a property under the national flood insurance program, any information the Administrator has that relates to the items listed in subsection (a) for such property. (d)

Flood insurance information tool

(1)

In general

The Administrator shall, not later than 36 months after the date of the enactment of this section, develop a flood insurance information tool that is accessible online and contains the following information with respect to each property for which a flood insurance policy is available under the national flood insurance program: (A)The current insurance premium for such property, including a description of any reason why the current premium is less than actuarial rates; including due to grandfathering, pre-FIRM discount status, newly mapped property status, or a Community Rating System status. (B)A description of any limitations on annual premium increases. (C)The risk premium rate for such property. (D)The replacement cost value for such property, and the date on which such value was calculated. (E)As determined not to be exempted from release or disclosure under any applicable statute and not in violation of personally identifiable information privacy requirements by the Administrator, all rating factors for the property, and the property’s rate for each factor, under the risk premium rate estimated under section 1307(a)(1) of the National Flood Insurance Act, including the property’s base rate, building value, concentration risk, contents value, deductive insurance-to-value, drainage area, distance to the coast, distance to lake, distance to ocean, distance to river, elevation, elevation relative to lake, elevation relative to river, first floor height, floors of interest, foundation type, levee quality, machinery and equipment above first floor, replacement cost value, structural relative elevation, territory, and type of use. (F)A detailed flood history for such property that includes a list of any prior claims under the national flood insurance program associated with such property and the dates of such claims. (G)Any special category that applies to the property, including repetitive loss property or severe repetitive loss property. (H)The date of the most recent flood hazard determination of such property and the date of any planned future flood hazard determination of such property. (I)Any flood insurance requirement that applies to the property as a result of disaster assistance previously provided by the Administrator. (J)Any additional information the Administrator determines appropriate. (2)

Explanation required

If any item of information required to be included in the flood insurance information tool under paragraph (1) cannot be provided, an explanation of why such item of information cannot be provided shall be included in the flood insurance information tool. (3)

Access to the flood insurance information tool

The Administrator shall, notwithstanding any conflicting provision in the Privacy Act of 1974, provide access to the flood insurance information tool, suite of tools, or discrete parts of such tools, to— (A)the public, for all information where the Administrator has determined that release to the public is in the best interest of the public; and (B)owners of properties for which a flood insurance policy is issued under the national flood insurance program, for information where the Administrator has determined that release to the public is not in the best interest of the public. (4)

Adjustment capability

To the degree practicable, the flood insurance information tool, or suite of tools, developed by Administrator shall allow users to, with respect to each item of information listed in paragraph (1)— (A)adjust variables that change over time and impact flood risk; and (B)evaluate how such adjustments or mitigation activities would— (i)reduce the risk of flooding; and (ii)decrease premiums. (5)

Use of existing tools

The Secretary may, when developing a flood insurance information tool paragraph (1), improve upon or expand an existing tool or resource used by Federal Emergency Management Agency if improving upon or expanding such tool would reduce the cost of developing a flood insurance information tool paragraph (1). (e)

Replacement cost value defined

The term replacement cost value means the cost to replace that part of a building that is damaged by flood, without depreciation. (f)

Additional information availability

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Administrator shall publish online, for each State, county, and ZIP Code in the United States, a distribution showing the median, mean, lower and upper quartiles, maximum, and minimum— (1)the chargeable premium rates prescribed under section 1308 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4015); and (2)full risk premium rates under section 1307(a)(1) of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968.

Report

The Comptroller General of the United States shall, not later than 2 years after the date on which the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency makes available the flood insurance information tool required to be developed under section 1313(c) of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, publish a report that analyzes the following: (1)Whether the following information could be added to flood insurance information tool established by the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency pursuant to section 1313 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968: (A)Any property acquisition programs for which the property qualifies. (B)Any nature based solutions that may be used to reduce the flood risk for the property. (C)Coastal restoration projects, as implemented by a State or local government or included in a State-approved coastal master plan. (D)Any planned or existing flood defenses in the area in which a property is located, including projects authorized by the Water Resources Development Act. (E)Any implications that additional development in the area where property is located may have on flood risk. (F)Any standards established locally that affect the repair or improvement of the property, including— (i)any limitations on repairs or improvements based on the value of the property; and (ii)any local standards that go beyond the standards required under the national flood insurance program. (G)A description of any community rating system rating that impacts the property and discounts that may be available based on this rating system. (2)Whether access to the flood insurance information tool established by the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency pursuant to section 1313 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 could be provided to prospective buyers of properties for which a flood insurance policy is issued under the national flood insurance program. (3)Whether the flood insurance information tool established by the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency pursuant to section 1313 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 could allow users to, with respect to each item of information listed in paragraph in the flood insurance tool, adjust variables that impact flood risk, including— (A)relative sea level rise; (B)extension or reduction of impervious cover; (C)levee reliability changes; and (D)coastal land loss or coastal restoration, including hydrologic restoration, sediment diversion, marsh creation, shoreline protection, and other project types. (4)Whether the types of information available within the flood insurance information tool established by the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency pursuant to section 1313 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 could be expanded further. (5)Whether the information provided by the flood insurance tool established by the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency pursuant to section 1313 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 could be used by policy holders as part of any appeals procedure implemented by the Administrator on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.