Yardley Flood-Insurance Break Renewed By Feds

YARDLEY, PA — Federal emergency management officials have renewed a rating for Yardley Borough that gives homeowners a bit of a break on their flood insurance.

Yardley officials received confirmation Wednesday afternoon that the borough's Community Rating System rating from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been renewed.

Yardley's current rating earns residents a 5 percent annual discount on flood insurance premiums because of the borough's flood preparedness measures, such as its floodplain ordinance and public education efforts, said council President David Bria.

He said Yardley's leaders are working on a program that could bump that discount up to 10 percent by next year.

"With annual flood insurance premiums topping $5,000 per year for some of Yardley’s residents, obtaining that 10 percent discount remains a priority for the borough," Bria said. "The CRS is a big undertaking, but it’s worth putting a few hundred dollars back into our homeowners’ pockets every year."

The federal rating system is designed to help communities enhance public safety, decrease risk to property and infrastructure, avoid economic disruption and loss, reduce human suffering and protect the environment in flood-prone areas.

Yardley Borough is one of 25 Community Rating System-accredited communities in Pennsylvania.