Change in flood rating for Wellington means lower insurance bills for some residents

WELLINGTON -- Wellington residents with flood insurance soon will see a discount on their bills.

The village recently received a better rating through the National Flood Insurance Program -- which translates to a discount of up to 25% on their flood insurance bills, building official Jacek Tomasik said.

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The maximum discount of 25% applies to flood policies in the Special Flood Hazard Area, which in Wellington is zone AE. Policies outside that area will see a 10% discount, and preferred risk policies will see no discount because they already are at the lowest possible rate, Tomasik said.

The change took effect May 1, and while it may not show on a flood insurance policy bill, it is being factored into the premium, he said, adding that can be confirmed with an insurance agent.

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To find your property’s flood zone, go to www.wellingtonfl.gov, click on the “Community” tab at the top of the site and then select “Floodplain Management/Flood Maps.”

Wellington is rated every five years by the National Flood Insurance Program as part of the Community Rating System program, which encourages communities to do more about flooding and reducing insurance risks by offering lower flood insurance bills.

The village this year received a rating of 5, after previously being ranked a 6 -- and the lower the score, the better a community is positioned to handle flooding, Tomasik said.

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Wellington joined the rating system, which is voluntary, in 2003, building official Jacek Tomasik said. The village was rated a 9 at the time, he said.

The rating is based on 19 activities across four categories: public information, mapping and regulations, flood damage reduction, and warning and response.

No community in Palm Beach County -- including the county itself -- has below a 5, according to the National Flood Insurance Program. The lowest and best rating, a 1, is akin to a unicorn, with only one community in California achieving that position, the data show.

Three other Palm Beach County communities and the county have a rating of 5, the program shows. Most cities in Palm Beach County have a 7 or 8. Not all communities participate in the program.

“This is a great, great achievement,” Tomasik said. While the building department administers the program for Wellington, nearly every department in the village takes part, he said.

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This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Change in flood rating for Wellington means lower insurance bills for some residents

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