Where you live can change what you pay for flood insurance, even with the same house and the same coverage. FEMA’s Community Rating System (CRS) rewards cities and counties whose floodplain management goes beyond the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) minimums, and the reward shows up as a discount on NFIP premiums. FEMA’s newest list, effective Oct. 1, 2026, puts the City of Knoxville at Class 6, a 20% discount, and Williamson County at Class 7, a 15% discount, with a current effective date of Oct. 1, 2026.
| Community (FEMA CRS list, Oct. 1, 2026) | CRS class | NFIP discount |
|---|---|---|
| Knoxville, City of | 6 | 20% |
| Williamson County | 7 | 15% |
| Knox County | 8 | 10% |
| Athens, City of | 8 | 10% |
| Bristol, City of | 8 | 10% |
| Elizabethton, City of | 8 | 10% |
| Franklin, City of | 8 | 10% |
| Nashville, City of & Davidson County | 8 | 10% |
| Wilson County | 8 | 10% |
| Gatlinburg, City of | 9 | 5% |
| Johnson City, City of | 10 | 0% |
| Kingsport, City of | 10 | 0% |
| Morristown, City of | 10 | 0% |
Source: FEMA, CRS Eligible Communities, October 1, 2026 Effective Date. Selected Tennessee rows.
How the class scale works
FEMA says CRS discounts range from 5% to 45% in 5% steps. A Class 9 community gets 5% off, Class 8 gets 10%, and so on up to Class 1 at 45%. A Class 10 community is not participating and receives no discount. Classes are based on credit points a community earns across 19 creditable activities. FEMA says more than 1,500 communities take part nationwide.
The discount is not just for high-risk zones
Under the NFIP’s current pricing approach, FEMA says the CRS discount is applied to the full-risk premium for all NFIP Regular Program policies in a participating community, including policies outside the Special Flood Hazard Area. A Knoxville homeowner who buys a voluntary flood policy outside the mapped floodplain can still see the community’s discount. That matters in East Tennessee, where heavy rain and creek flooding do not stop at map lines. For a broader primer, see Tennessee Flood Insurance: Everything Homeowners Need to Know in 2026.
When a policy can lose the discount
FEMA says an individual NFIP policy may be excluded from the CRS discount if the structure is found out of compliance with the community’s floodplain management regulations. If you are buying a home with past additions, enclosures below the lowest floor, or unpermitted work, ask the local floodplain administrator about the property’s status before you assume the discount applies.
What the list means across the state
Bristol and Elizabethton sit at Class 8, worth 10%. Johnson City, Kingsport, and Morristown appear at Class 10, which carries a 0% discount. Gatlinburg is Class 9, worth 5%. In the Nashville area, Franklin, Wilson County, and Nashville and Davidson County are Class 8. Sevier County homeowners facing new flood maps can read New FEMA Flood Maps Hit Sevier County Nov. 13, 2026.
How to use this at renewal
- Look at your NFIP declarations page for the community name and number, then compare it with FEMA’s list.
- Remember the NFIP caps on building and contents coverage: NFIP flood policies cap Tennessee home building coverage at $250,000 and contents at $100,000.
- Do not wait for a storm forecast. Most new policies have a waiting period: New Tennessee flood insurance usually waits 30 days to start, and federal rules list only three exceptions.
- An elevation certificate can also shape your premium: FEMA is asking for comments by Nov. 6 on the NFIP Elevation Certificate that can shape Tennessee flood premiums.
This article is informational only. It does not promise a discount, a premium, eligibility, or coverage. Your NFIP policy forms, declarations, and FEMA’s rating rules control.
Related reading from All Seasons
- Tennessee Flood Insurance: Everything Homeowners Need to Know in 2026
- NFIP flood policies cap Tennessee home building coverage at $250,000 and contents at $100,000.
- New Tennessee flood insurance usually waits 30 days to start, and federal rules list only three exceptions.
- New FEMA Flood Maps Hit Sevier County Nov. 13, 2026
- FEMA is asking for comments by Nov. 6 on the NFIP Elevation Certificate that can shape Tennessee flood premiums.
Free policy review
All Seasons Insurance Group offers a free personal policy review. Call 865-263-1400 or visit asigtn.com/get-a-quote/. This article is informational only and does not promise coverage or eligibility; your policy forms control. Seasons change. So should your coverage.
What is FEMA’s Community Rating System?
FEMA describes it as a voluntary incentive program that recognizes community floodplain management practices that exceed the minimum requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program. Participating communities earn NFIP premium discounts.
What discount do Knoxville flood policyholders get?
FEMA’s list effective Oct. 1, 2026, shows the City of Knoxville at CRS Class 6, a 20% discount. Knox County is listed at Class 8, a 10% discount.
What about Williamson County?
FEMA’s October 2026 list shows Williamson County at Class 7, a 15% discount, with a current effective date of Oct. 1, 2026. The City of Franklin is listed at Class 8, a 10% discount.
How do CRS classes translate into discounts?
FEMA says discounts range from 5% to 45% in 5% increments. Class 9 receives 5%, Class 8 receives 10%, and Class 1 receives 45%. Class 10 receives no discount.
Does the discount apply outside the high-risk flood zone?
FEMA says the CRS discount is applied to the full-risk premium for all NFIP Regular Program policies in a participating community, including policies outside the Special Flood Hazard Area.
Can my policy lose the CRS discount?
Yes. FEMA says an individual NFIP policy may be excluded from the discount if the structure is not in compliance with community floodplain management regulations.
Do Johnson City and Kingsport get a CRS discount?
FEMA’s October 2026 list shows Johnson City and Kingsport at Class 10 with a 0% discount.
How can All Seasons help after reading this?
Call 865-263-1400 or visit asigtn.com/get-a-quote/ for a free personal policy review. Informational only; no coverage promises. Seasons change. So should your coverage.
