Flood Zones & Natural Hazard Disclosures

FEMA maps flood zones; property in a Special Flood Hazard Area (zones A/V) requires flood insurance when the loan is federally related — standard homeowners policies exclude flood. Many states mandate NATURAL HAZARD disclosures: flood, earthquake fault zones, wildfire severity, and similar designations, often delivered through a third-party disclosure report. The agent's job is to deliver the required disclosures and direct buyers to authoritative maps — not to opine 'it never floods here,' which is a misrepresentation if wrong. Elevation certificates and mitigation can lower premiums; disclosure timing rules let buyers cancel if delivered late.