The COMM layer compliments the FLOOD layer. It contains information related to community participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The COMM layer is important for determining a community’s participation status in the program because new NFIP policies cannot be written in communities that do not participate. Note that a lack of participation in NFIP does not mean that a property is not insurable through a private insurer; it means that it is not insurable through the NFIP. Conversely, if a community does participate in NFIP, holding a NFIP emergency participation status can result in significantly higher insurance rates (and lower coverage) than having regular participation status. Community participation status can be found in the COMMSTATUS field.