Published 60 Day FRN

Billing Code: XXXX-XX-P [The Billing Account Code number needs to be confirmed with FEMA’s printing office.]

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Docket ID: FEMA-XXXX-XXXX; [OCC’s Regulatory Affairs Division will request the docket ID from regs.gov]OMB No. 1660-XXXX][OMB number is retrieved from OMB 83-I form, block 2]

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Insert Title of Information Collection

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public to take this opportunity to comment on a revision of a currently approved information collection. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice seeks comments concerning the collection of information related to the flood insurance claims process. [NOTE: Per the Federal Register Document Drafting Handbook, do not include legal citations in the summary section.]

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before [INSERT DATE 60 DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER]. [Note: do not alter the words in the brackets – the caps are an instruction to the Federal Register]

ADDRESSES: To avoid duplicate submissions to the docket, please use only one of the following means to submit comments:

(1) Online. Submit comments at www.regulations.gov under Docket ID FEMA-XXXX-XXXX. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

(2) Mail. Submit written comments to Docket Manager, Office of Chief Counsel, DHS/FEMA, 500 C Street, SW., 8NE, Washington, DC 20472-3100.

All submissions received must include the agency name and Docket ID. Regardless of the method used for submitting comments or material, all submissions will be posted, without change, to the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov, and will include any personal information you provide. Therefore, submitting this information makes it public. You may wish to read the Privacy Act notice that is available via the link in the footer of www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel Claire, Program Analyst, Federal Insurance & Mitigation Administration, [email protected]. You may contact the Information Management Division for copies of the proposed collection of information at email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides 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.

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.

[Note that the Federal Register Document Drafting Handbook requires periods after the letters in U.S.C. but not in CFR].

Collection of Information

Title: National Flood Insurance Program Claim Forms.

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

OMB Number: 1660-0005.

FEMA Forms: FEMA Form 086-0-6; Personal Property (Contents) Worksheet, FEMA Form 086-0-7; Building Property Worksheet, FEMA Form 086-0-8; Worksheet - Building (Continued), FEMA Form 086-0-9; Proof of Loss - Building & Contents (Policyholder-Prepared), FEMA Form 086-0-10; Proof of Loss - Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC), FEMA Form 086-0-11; First Notice of Loss, FEMA Form 086-0-17; Manufactured (Mobile) Home-Travel Trailer Worksheet, FEMA Form XXX-X-XX; Advance Payment Request - Building & Contents, FEMA Form XXX-X-XX; Advance Payment Request - Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC), FEMA Form XXX-X-XX; Proof of Loss - Building & Contents (Adjuster-Prepared), FEMA Form XXX-X-XX; Claim Appeal.

Abstract: The claims forms used for the National Flood Insurance Program are used by policyholders to collect the information needed to investigate, document, evaluate and settle claims against National Flood Insurance Program policies for flood damage to their insured property or qualification for benefits under Increased Cost of Compliance coverage.

Affected Public: Individuals or households Individuals, households, businesses or other for profit.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 25,836.

Estimated Number of Responses: 25,836.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 21,363.

Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost: $226,234.

Estimated Respondents’ Operation and Maintenance Costs: $3,162,300.

Estimated Respondents’ Capital and Start-Up Costs: $0.00.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to the Federal Government: $3,388,534.00.

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.

[As per the Federal Register Document Drafting Handbook, Chapter 1, do not place a signature block on a page by itself. Placing text on the signature page helps to ensure the integrity of the document.]

_________________________________

Rachel Frier,

Records Management Branch Chief,

Office of the Chief Administrative Officer,

Mission Support,

Federal Emergency Management Agency,

Department of Homeland Security.

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