Dunedin homeowners with flood insurance save hundreds of dollars a year thanks to the city's Class 5 rating in FEMA's Community Rating System, a designation shared by only two other Pinellas County cities.
Class 5 Status Brings 25% Discount on Premiums
The Class 5 rating entitles holders of National Flood Insurance Program policies to a 25% premium discount, according to FEMA's CRS program guidelines. In high-risk flood zones, that translates to an average savings of $325 per policy annually. In lower-risk areas, the discount averages $54 per policy, according to the city's floodplain management page, last updated in October 2023.
Across Dunedin's 3,399 active flood insurance policies, the collective savings totaled roughly $900,000 per year as of that October 2023 update. The figures predate Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which damaged homes across the city and may have shifted the number of active policies.
St. Petersburg and Pinellas Park are the only other Pinellas County cities holding the same Class 5 designation, Bay News 9 reported Monday, July 27. Pinellas Park's new rating takes effect for policies purchased or renewed starting Thursday, Oct. 1. Dunedin has held its Class 5 status since at least October 2023, when the city published its CRS program page.
What the Rating Means
FEMA's CRS is a voluntary program that rewards communities for exceeding minimum floodplain management standards. Communities earn credit points across 19 activities spanning public information, mapping, flood damage reduction and emergency response. A Class 5 puts Dunedin in the top 11.6% of participating communities nationwide. Only 25 of 1,504 CRS communities nationally hold a higher rating, and just five Florida communities outrank Dunedin, according to the city's floodplain management page.
The city has participated in the CRS program since 1992. Joseph DiPasqua, Dunedin's floodplain administrator and assistant director of community development, oversees the program. In October 2023, the city stated it was working toward an even higher CRS class under DiPasqua's guidance.
What Homeowners Should Do
Under FEMA's Risk Rating 2.0 pricing structure, the 25% CRS discount applies to all NFIP policies in Dunedin, including properties outside mapped high-risk flood zones. That's a detail many homeowners miss.
State Farm agent Joanne Dauphin, a Pinellas Park resident who spoke to Bay News 9 about her city's new Class 5 rating on July 27, said the savings hit hardest where risk is highest. "Anybody in a high-risk area is actually going to see the most savings," Dauphin said.
Her advice applies equally to Dunedin policyholders: Contact your insurance agent before your next renewal to confirm the 25% discount is being applied, and evaluate whether flood coverage has become more affordable if you previously opted out.
City Still Rebuilding After Storms
The rating carries extra weight for a city still recovering. Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused significant damage to Dunedin homes and businesses. As of June, building permits had been issued to repair or replace most flood-damaged structures, DiPasqua wrote in a city publication.
Dunedin also secured a $380,950 Resilient Florida Planning Grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection during fiscal year 2023-24 to fund a vulnerability assessment and adaptation plan.
Residents can check the city's Granicus calendar at dunedin.granicus.com for upcoming City Commission meetings and budget workshops.
