2017-05997. Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; National Flood Insurance Program Claims Forms

AGENCY:

Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will submit the information collection abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget for review and clearance in accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The submission will describe the nature of the information collection, the categories of respondents, the estimated burden (i.e., the time, effort and resources used by respondents to respond) and cost, and the actual data collection instruments FEMA will use.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before April 26, 2017.

ADDRESSES:

Submit written comments on the proposed information collection to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget. Comments should be addressed to the Desk Officer for the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and sent via electronic mail to [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection should be made to Director, Records Management Division, 500 C Street SW., Washington, DC 20472-3100, or email address [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This proposed information collection previously published in the Federal Register on January 13, 2017 at 82 FR 4372 with a 60 day public comment period. FEMA received one comment from an individual requesting to review all forms associated with the collection. The Records Management Division provided the forms to the requester. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is codified as 42 U.S.C. 4001, et sec. and is authorized by Public Law 90-448 (1968) and expanded by Public Law 93-234 (1973). The National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 requires that FEMA provide flood insurance at full actuarial rates with limited exceptions for certain structures reflecting the complete flood risk to structures built or substantially improved on or after the effective date for the initial Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) for the community, or after December 31, 1974, whichever is later, so that the risk associated with buildings in flood-prone areas are borne by those located in such areas and not by the taxpayers at large. In accordance with Public Law 93-234, the purchase of flood insurance is mandatory when Federal or federally related financial assistance is being provided for acquisition or construction of buildings located, or to be located, within FEMA-identified special flood hazard areas of communities that are participating in the NFIP. When flood damage occurs to insured property, information is collected to report, investigate, and negotiate in order to settle the claim.

The NFIP Appeals Process

Section 205 of The Bunning-Bereuter-Blumenauer Flood Insurance Reform Act (FIRA) of 2004, Public Law 108-264, requires FEMA to establish by regulation an additional process for the appeal of decisions of flood insurance claims issued through the NFIP. Consequently, FEMA published an interim final rule on May 26, 2006 (71 FR 30294) and a final rule on October 13, 2006 (71 FR 60435) codifying into regulation what was previously an existing informal process to handle appeals regarding decisions related to coverage, or claims under the NFIP.

Collection of Information

Title: National Flood Insurance Program Claims Forms.

Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved information collection.

OMB Number: 1660-0005.

FEMA Forms: FEMA Form 086-0-6; Worksheet-Contents-Personal Property; 086-0-7; Worksheet—Building; 086-0-8; Worksheet—Building (Continued); 086-0-9; Proof of Loss; 086-0-10; Increased Cost of Compliance Proof of Loss; 086-0-11; Notice of Loss; 086-0-12; Statement as to Full Cost of Repair or Replacement under the Replacement Cost Coverage, Subject to the Terms and Conditions of this Policy (proposed for removal); 086-0-13; National Flood Insurance Program Preliminary Report; 086-0-14; National Flood Insurance Program Final Report; 086-0-15; National Flood Insurance Program Narrative Report; 086-0-16; Cause of Loss and Subrogation Report; 086-0-17; Manufactured (Mobile) Home/Travel Trailer Worksheet; 086-0-18; Manufactured (Mobile) Home/Travel Trailer Worksheet (continued); 086-0-19; Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) Adjusters Report; 086-0-20; Adjuster Preliminary Damage Assessment; 086-0-21; Adjuster Certification Application. NFIP Claims Appeals Process (Flood Claims Insurance Handbook).

Abstract: The NFIP appeal process establishes a formal mechanism to allow NFIP policyholders to appeal the decisions of any insurance agent, adjuster, insurance company, or any FEMA employee or contractor, in cases of unsatisfactory decisions on claims, proof of loss, and loss estimates.

Affected Public: Individuals, households, farms, businesses, and other for profit.

Number of Respondents: 49,373.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 31,737.

Estimated Cost: The estimated annual cost to respondents for the hour burden is $1,432,419. There are no recordkeeping, capital, start-up or maintenance costs associated with this information collection. The cost to the Federal Government is $4,000,434.

Comments

Comments may be submitted as indicated in the ADDRESSES caption above. Comments are solicited to (a) evaluate whether the proposed data collection is necessary for the proper performance of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

Dated: March 17, 2017.

William H. Holzerland,

Senior Director for Information Management, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer Mission Support, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security.