If you are shopping for a home in Pennsylvania, a major new law signed by Governor Josh Shapiro is set to change how you evaluate potential water damage long before you sign on the dotted line.
House Bill 1704, sponsored by Representative Perry Warren (D-Bucks), tackles a quiet but staggering vulnerability across the Commonwealth: while standard homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage, only about one percent of Pennsylvania households currently carry dedicated flood insurance.
To bridge this massive protection gap, the new legislation strengthens mandatory seller disclosures to ensure prospective buyers are explicitly informed about a property’s flood history and risk. It also directs consumers straight to the Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) website for guidance on risk factors, mitigation, and coverage.
“We can’t say it enough—where it rains, it can flood,” said Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Michael Humphreys. Pointing out that flood risks extend far beyond traditional high-risk FEMA flood zones, Humphreys emphasized that the home-buying process is the ideal window to secure protection.
“This legislation will require an important and timely reminder to homebuyers and direct them to resources and tools that will help them evaluate flood risk and the next steps they can take to secure their property and protect their families,” Humphreys added.
The legislation directly implements a key recommendation from the 2024 Pennsylvania Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task Force. Over the last two years, the state has steadily ramped up its flood safety infrastructure, including:
Appointing a Flood Insurance Ombudsman to coordinate outreach with FEMA and PEMA.
Enacting Act 142, which requires insurance agents to complete specialized continuing education on flood coverage.
Expanding public awareness campaigns to remind residents that standard policies leave them unprotected.
Although the formal, amended seller disclosure form mandated by the law won’t officially take effect until July 2028, buyers do not have to wait to protect themselves.
Pennsylvanians can visit the PID’s official flood insurance web page right now to access educational guides, explore coverage alternatives (such as private flood insurance), and use an interactive online tool to evaluate personalized property flood risks before making an offer.
