CONGRESSMAN FIELDS INTRODUCES NFIP PREMIUM TRANSPARENCY ACT ALONGSIDE COSPONSORS

The following information was released by the office of Louisiana Rep. Cleo Fields:

This week, Congressman Cleo Fields, along with Representatives Troy Carter, Mike Ezell, and Rob Bresnahan, introduced H.R. 9511, the NFIP Premium Transparency Act, legislation that would require the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to give the more than 400,000 Louisiana policy holders enrolled in the National Flood Insurance Program a full, clear picture of what is driving their premiums and what they can do to bring those costs down:

"Louisiana families pay more flood insurance premiums than almost anyone in the United States, and for too long they've been handed a bill with no explanation. They deserve to know why their rates went up, when they'll go up again, and what they can do about it. This bill does exactly that," said Representative Fields.

Louisiana has the most NFIP policies per capita of any other state in the country. Despite that, members of communities throughout the state routinely receive renewal notices with little to no explanation of what factors are driving their costs or how long they can expect their premiums to reach their full risk-based potential. For working families in flood-prone areas, many of whom are already living on tight margins, that lack of information can mean the difference between staying in their home and being priced out of it.

"Since FEMA's Risk Rating 2.0 program went into effect, Louisiana families have opened their flood insurance bills with more questions than answers: why their premium jumped and what discounts they're missing," said Representative Carter. "Louisiana has more riding on this than almost any state in the country. This legislation gives homeowners the information they've always deserved: a clear breakdown of their rates, real savings from mitigation, and a roadmap to full-risk pricing. This isn't a partisan issue. It's about giving working families the tools to protect their homes, their budgets, and their futures."

The NFIP Premium Transparency Act addresses this issue directly. Within 12 months of enactment, every NFIP policy declaration page must clearly show the policyholder's current premium, all applicable discounts, the full set of rating factors behind their rate, their claim history, available mitigation options and the savings associated with each, and an estimate of how many years remain before their premium reaches its full risk-based level. If any of that information cannot be provided, FEMA must explain why in writing, on the policy itself, eliminating blank walls and guesswork.

"Too many families in Northeastern Pennsylvania struggle with the impact flooding can have on their homes, businesses, and livelihoods. Flood insurance continues to go up, making it harder for families to sell and first-time homeowners to buy," said Representative Bresnahan. "For many homeowners in our region, the NFIP is the only realistic option for protecting their property, but rising premiums are making that coverage increasingly difficult to afford. This legislation ensures that our families, small businesses, and non-profits are not priced out of the peace of mind that flood insurance brings."

Within 36 months, FEMA must build a publicly accessible online tool that allows homeowners, prospective buyers, and community leaders to look up any NFIP-covered property and model how improvements like elevating a home would reduce both flood risk and insurance costs. That interactive capability matters. Right now, many constituents know their premiums are high but have no way of knowing whether investing in mitigation would actually move the needle. This tool gives them that answer before they spend a dollar.

The tool must also account for factors critical to Louisiana specifically, including coastal land loss, coastal restoration projects, and levee reliability. With the state's coastline constantly changing, the families living through that reality deserve a flood insurance system that reflects it.

"Families deserve to know exactly how their flood insurance premiums are determined and what steps they can take to lower their costs," said Representative Ezell. "The NFIP Premium Transparency Act gives homeowners greater access to the information they need to make informed decisions, invest in mitigation, and better protect their property. For coastal communities like those in South Mississippi, improving transparency within the National Flood Insurance Program is a common-sense step that will help strengthen resilience while making the program more accountable to the people it serves."

The legislation also directs FEMA to publish aggregate flood insurance data by state, county, and ZIP code annually, bringing long-overdue transparency to a program that affects millions of Americans. It also directs the Government Accountability Office to study whether the tool can be expanded to give prospective homebuyers access to a property's full flood history before they close, so families are never blindsided after the fact.

This bill costs taxpayers nothing beyond what FEMA already does, it simply requires the government to share information it already has. Louisiana families have carried the weight of living in a flood-prone state for generations, and the least Congress can do is make sure they have the information they need to protect their homes, plan their finances, and make informed decisions about their future.