HR 1309 — To require the use of replacement cost value in determining the premium rates for flood insurance coverage under the National Flood Insurance Act, and for other purposes.

(a) Studies and investigations The Administrator is authorized to undertake and carry out such studies and investigations and receive or exchange such information as may be necessary to estimate, and shall from time to time estimate, on an area, subdivision, or other appropriate basis— (1) the risk premium rates for flood insurance which— (A) based on consideration of— (i) the risk involved and accepted actuarial principles; and (ii) the flood mitigation activities that an owner or lessee has undertaken on a property, including differences in the risk involved due to land use measures, floodproofing, flood forecasting, and similar measures, and (B) including— (i) the applicable operating costs and allowances set forth in the schedules prescribed under section 4018 of this title and reflected in such rates, (ii) any administrative expenses (or portion of such expenses) of carrying out the flood insurance program which, in his discretion, should properly be reflected in such rates, (iii) any remaining administrative expenses incurred in carrying out the flood insurance and floodplain management programs (including the costs of mapping activities under section 4101 of this title) not included under clause (ii), which shall be recovered by a fee charged to policyholders and such fee shall not be subject to any agents’ commissions, company expense allowances, or State or local premium taxes, and (iv) all costs, as prescribed by principles and standards of practice in ratemaking adopted by the American Academy of Actuaries and the Casualty Actuarial Society, including— (I) an estimate of the expected value of future costs, (II) all costs associated with the transfer of risk, and (III) the costs associated with an individual risk transfer with respect to risk classes, as defined by the Administrator, would be required in order to make such insurance available on an actuarial basis for any types and classes of properties for which insurance coverage is available under section 4012(a) of this title (or is recommended to the Congress under section 4012(b) of this title); (2) the rates, if less than the rates estimated under paragraph (1), which would be reasonable, would encourage prospective insureds to purchase flood insurance, and would be consistent with the purposes of this chapter, and which, together with a fee charged to policyholders that shall not be not subject to any agents’ commission, company expenses allowances, or State or local premium taxes, shall include any administrative expenses incurred in carrying out the flood insurance and floodplain management programs (including the costs of mapping activities under section 4101 of this title), except that the Administrator shall not estimate rates under this paragraph for— (A) any residential property which is not the primary residence of an individual; (B) any severe repetitive loss property; (C) any property that has incurred flood-related damage in which the cumulative amounts of payments under this chapter equaled or exceeded the fair market value of such property; (D) any business property; or (E) any property which on or after July 6, 2012, has experienced or sustained— (i) substantial damage exceeding 50 percent of the fair market value of such property; or (ii) substantial improvement exceeding 50 percent of the fair market value of such property; and (3) the extent, if any, to which federally assisted or other flood protection measures initiated after August 1, 1968, affect such rates. (b) Utilization of services of other Departments and agencies In carrying out subsection (a), the Administrator shall, to the maximum extent feasible and on a reimbursement basis, utilize the services of the Department of the Army, the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, and the Tennessee Valley Authority, and, as appropriate, other Federal departments or agencies, and for such purposes may enter into agreements or other appropriat...

(a) Establishment; terms and conditions On the basis of estimates made under section 4014 of this title, and such other information as may be necessary, the Administrator shall from time to time prescribe, after providing notice— (1) chargeable premium rates for any types and classes of properties for which insurance coverage shall be available under section 4012 of this title (at less than the estimated risk premium rates under section 4014(a)(1) of this title, where necessary), and (2) the terms and conditions under which, and the areas (including subdivisions thereof) within which, such rates shall apply. (b) Considerations for rates Such rates shall, insofar as practicable, be— (1) based on a consideration of the respective risks involved, including differences in risks due to land use measures, flood-proofing, flood forecasting, and similar measures; (2) adequate, on the basis of accepted actuarial principles, to provide reserves for anticipated losses, or, if less than such amount, consistent with the objective of making flood insurance available where necessary at reasonable rates so as to encourage prospective insureds to purchase such insurance and with the purposes of this chapter; (3) adequate, together with the fee under paragraph (1)(B)(iii) or (2) of section 4014(a) of this title, to provide for any administrative expenses of the flood insurance and floodplain management programs (including the costs of mapping activities under section 4101 of this title); (4) stated so as to reflect the basis for such rates, including the differences (if any) between the estimated risk premium rates under section 4014(a)(1) of this title and the estimated rates under section 4014(a)(2) of this title; and (5) adequate, on the basis of accepted actuarial principles, to cover the average historical loss year obligations incurred by the National Flood Insurance Fund. (c) Actuarial rate properties Subject only to the limitations provided under paragraphs (1) and (2), the chargeable rate shall not be less than the applicable estimated risk premium rate for such area (or subdivision thereof) under section 4014(a)(1) of this title with respect to the following properties: (1) Post-firm properties Any property the construction or substantial improvement of which the Administrator determines has been started after December 31, 1974, or started after the effective date of the initial rate map published by the Administrator under paragraph (2) of section 4101 of this title for the area in which such property is located, whichever is later, except that the chargeable rate for properties under this paragraph shall be subject to the limitation under subsection (e). (2) Certain leased coastal and river properties Any property leased from the Federal Government (including residential and nonresidential properties) that the Administrator determines is located on the river-facing side of any dike, levee, or other riverine flood control structure, or seaward of any seawall or other coastal flood control structure. (d) Payment of certain sums to Administrator; deposits in Fund With respect to any chargeable premium rate prescribed under this section, a sum equal to the portion of the rate that covers any administrative expenses of carrying out the flood insurance and floodplain management programs which have been estimated under paragraphs (1)(B)(ii) and (1)(B)(iii) of section 4014(a) of this title or paragraph (2) of such section (including the fees under such paragraphs), shall be paid to the Administrator. The Administrator shall deposit the sum in the National Flood Insurance Fund established under section 4017 of this title. (e) Annual limitation on premium increases Except with respect to properties described under paragraph (2) of subsection (c), and notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter— (1) the chargeable risk premium rate for flood insurance under this chapter for any property may not be increased by more than 18 percent e...