FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps Update for O‘ahu

FEMA works with communities across the country to identify flood hazards and promote ways to reduce the impact of those risks and other hazards. The preliminary flood map is a version of the FIRM circulated for community review and comment before it becomes effective.

FIRMs are official flood maps issued by FEMA showing a community’s flood zones with an applied risk designation based on a variety of factors. High-hazard flood zones, known as Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA), show where there’s a 1% annual chance of flooding. While some areas have lower or undetermined risk, there is no such thing as a “no-risk” zone.

FIRMs are used for floodplain management in the City’s Revised Ordinances of Honolulu (ROH) Chapter 21A, by financial lenders to determine the level of risk a property may face, and if flood insurance is required for a property.

Flood risks change over time. Changes can be due to new land uses, community development, or natural forces (changing weather, terrain changes, wildfires, etc.). FEMA works with local communities and uses the latest technology to update and issue flood maps nationwide. Every year, thousands of homeowners and renters across the U.S. experience devastating flood events even though they may not live near a body of water. On Oʻahu, extreme flooding has impacted communities like Waimānalo, ʻĀina Haina, Hawaiʻi Kai, and North Shore in recent years.

The City is working with FEMA to understand our flood risks and how they may have changed over time. Much of the mapping being revised was produced over 25 years ago. Today’s flood maps are clearer in the risks they show. This aids our community members, property owners, and other stakeholders in taking steps to address flood risks to protect our families, homes and businesses.

As the City works with FEMA to update our flood maps, you may find the risk of flooding around your property has changed. This could have impacts on building and flood insurance requirements.

Now is a good time to re-evaluate what protections you have in place for your home or business. In addition to taking steps to make your property more flood resistant, talk to an insurance agent about flood insurance options based on any flooding-related changes that could potentially be putting your property more at risk.

Properties newly mapped into a Special Flood Hazard Area: If your property has a federally-backed mortgage, you will be notified by your lender once the FIRMS are effective if you are subject to the mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements. . The City and County participate in the NFIP Community Rating System making residents eligible for a 10% reduction on annual full risk rated NFIP policy premiums. You may also qualify for the NFIP's one-time Newly Mapped Discount. Check with your insurance agent to see if you qualify. These discounts are not available for non-NFIP private flood insurance policies.

If you have an NFIP-backed policy, one or more of the following discounts may apply. Ask for official flood zone determinations using the effective maps when quoting or buying your policy. Your insurance agent and underwriter ultimately put the discounts together depending on how many you may be eligible for. Talk with your flood insurance agent about these discounts to learn more. 

• Your property may be eligible for the one-time NFIP Newly Mapped Discount if it was previously in FIRM Zone B, C, D, or X and is newly mapped into an SFHA (Zones A, AE, AEF, AH, AO, V and VE). The discount is 70% of the first $35,000 building and $10,000 contents coverage. The discount phases out over time, meaning your policy premium will gradually increase, by no more than 18%, year-over-year until it reaches the full-risk rate premium amount.

• Your property may be eligible for the one-time NFIP Pre-FIRM Discount if it: 

  • Was built before 09/03/1980

  • Qualifies as a primary residence

  • Is not a commercial property

  • Is not designated by the NFIP as a “Severe Repetitive Loss Property”

  • Has not been “Substantially Improved” as defined by Revised Ordinances of Honolulu Chapter 21A – Flood Hazard Areas after 09/03/1980

The discount is 60% of the first $35,000 building and $10,000 contents coverage. The discount phases out over time, meaning your policy premium will gradually increase, by no more than 18%, year-over-year until it reaches the full-risk rate premium amount.

• Your property may be eligible for the NFIP Mitigation Discount for taking mitigation actions such as:

  • Properly elevating machinery and equipment servicing your property (e.g. HVAC, water heater, electrical panels, etc. ) 1-ft above the Base Flood Elevation 

  • Documenting that your enclosure or crawlspace was constructed with proper floodwater vents or other engineered floodwater openings

Your policy premium will continuously receive up to a 5% discount so long as your property remains in compliance and your policy is in good standing.  

• Your property may be eligible for the NFIP Community Rating System (CRS) Discount.The City has participated in the CRS since April 1st, 2022. During that time, we’ve earned enough CRS points to be awarded a Class 8 rating. A Class 8 rating means Oʻahu residents purchasing a new NFIP flood insurance policy or renewing their policy will receive a 10% discount on their premiums. No action is needed by the residents to receive the discount, as it is automatically applied upon purchase or renewal. The City will continue efforts to qualify for additional CRS discounts and increase the affordability of flood insurance for Oʻahu residents. Usually, the CRS discount applies to all NFIP-backed policies. However, some exceptions exist. The CRS discount is not applied when:

  • The NFIP-backed policy would exceed the maximum rate cap discount with the full CRS discount. Maximum premium rate caps are a policyholder benefit that establish a limit for your annual premium cost. Policies already discounted due to rate caps or other applicable discounts may receive a portion of a CRS discount, or none at all.

  • The insured building is not in compliance with Revised Ordinances of Honolulu Chapter 21A: Flood Hazard Areas or has known floodplain management violations. Violations disqualify a property from receiving discounts because they undermine the CRS’ objective to reward risk reduction practices.

  • The policy is a Group Flood Insurance Policy (GFIP) or is a provisionally rated policy. These types of policies have specific rating structures and eligibility criteria that may not align with standard discount programs.