Pooler earns higher FEMA flood rating, cutting insurance costs for many residents

POOLER, Ga. (WTOC) - The City of Pooler has earned a Class 5 rating through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS), a designation that will reduce flood insurance costs for many property owners.

Beginning Oct. 1, 2026, residents and business owners with National Flood Insurance Program policies in the city’s Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) will automatically receive an average 25% discount on their flood insurance premiums when policies are issued or renewed.

City officials say no action is required for eligible policyholders to receive the savings.

The Community Rating System is a voluntary FEMA program that rewards communities for implementing floodplain management practices that go beyond the minimum requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program.

Pooler officials said the city achieved the improved rating through public education efforts focused on flood safety and insurance, stricter building and development standards, and the preservation of open space in flood-prone areas.

City leaders say those efforts not only help reduce flood risk but also strengthen the community’s resilience to future severe weather events.