Connecticut Public Act No. 25-33 (2025), Sections 1-4: Flood Disclosure Requirements

Connecticut Public Act No. 25-33, signed by the Governor on June 10, 2025, is a wide-reaching environmental and climate adaptation law that creates new standards and requirements for state and local government as well as the private sector. The Act establishes new obligations and frameworks across several different policy areas: flood risk disclosure, municipal and regional climate planning, local resilience financing, water and infrastructure climate proofing, and pesticide restrictions to protect pollinators and wildlife. Sections 1–4 of the Act establish new flood risk disclosure requirements affecting property sellers, insurers, buyers, and creditors.

Connecticut law previously had no requirement that homeowners, renters, or mortgage applicants be proactively informed that standard insurance policies don't cover flood damage. Sections 1–4 of the Act close that gap by creating mandatory flood risk disclosures at three distinct points of contact: when an insurance policy is issued or renewed, when a mortgage closes, and when a home is sold.

Homeowners and Renters Insurance (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 38a-316h)

Effective July 1, 2026, every insurer delivering issuing, or renewing a homeowners or renters insurance policy in Connecticut must provide a notice informing policyholders in clear plain language that:

  1. Standard policies do not cover flood related loss, and
  2. Separate flood insurance policies are available, including information on eligibility access. 

The notice must be prescribed or approved by the Insurance Commissioner. 

Mortgage Loan Transactions (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 49-7b)

Also effective July 1, 2026, creditors must provide mortgage applicants with a written disclosure explaining that homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, that flooding can occur outside of designated flood zones, and that the applicant may wish to consult a licensed insurance producer about flood coverage options. Applicants must sign and date the notice to acknowledge receipt of the disclosure, which must be provided at least 10 days prior to closing. 

Residential Property Condition Disclosure (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 20-327b)

Under existing law, sellers must disclose the general condition of the property through a Residential Property Condition Report, which covers 38 key areas, including foundation, heating, and water supply. Effective July 1, 2025, Connecticut’s Uniform Property Condition Disclosure form is amended to include a new “Flood Risk Awareness” subsection (Section I of the form). Sellers must now disclose:

  • Whether the property is in a FEMA-designated floodplain, and if so, which zone;
  • Whether the seller or any prior owner received FEMA, SBA, or other disaster assistance for flood damage;
  • Whether a current flood insurance policy is in effect;
  • Whether a FEMA elevation certificate is available;
  • Whether a flood damage claim has ever been filed; and
  • Whether any structure on the property has experienced water penetration or damage from flooding or seepage.

A new subsection (I): Flood Insurance, Flood Maps and Flood Risk is added to the Important Information block of the disclosure form. It advises buyers that:

  • Federal law may require flood insurance for properties with federally regulated mortgages in Special Flood Hazard Areas;
  • Properties with prior federal disaster assistance have an ongoing obligation to maintain flood insurance that transfers to future owners;
  • FEMA flood maps are not a reliable tool for assessing individual property flood risk; and
  • Any property can flood, regardless of proximity to water or flood zone designation.

This is a mandatory disclosure notice, not optional advisory language. It must appear on all updated forms effective July 1, 2025.

These four sections, which are codified in state law in the sections noted in the headings above, make flood awareness a required element of the process rather than a matter of individual initiative, by shifting the default practice regarding flooding risks to disclosure.

Publication Date: June 10, 2025

Related Organizations:

  • State of Connecticut

Related Resources:

Sectors:

Resource Category:

Resource Types:

  • Laws

States Affected:

Impacts:

  • Flooding
  • Coastal Flooding
  • Riverine Flooding

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