What should I know about flood risk before buying a waterfront home in Florida?

Florida law requires the seller of a home to give the buyer a written flood disclosure at or before the time the sales contract is signed. The form, set out in section 689.302 of the Florida Statutes, tells the buyer that homeowners' insurance policies do not include coverage for flood damage, and it encourages the buyer to talk with an insurance agent about a separate flood policy.

On the form the seller answers three questions: whether they know of flooding that damaged the property while they owned it, whether they filed a flood insurance claim, including with the National Flood Insurance Program, and whether they received help for flood damage from any source, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). A 2025 law that took effect October 1, 2025 added the first question and widened the last one, which before covered only federal help.

FEMA runs the National Flood Insurance Program and sets its building rules. In its Special Flood Hazard Areas, the zones whose labels start with A or V, the lowest floor of a new home must be at or above the base flood elevation, the height of a flood that has a 1 percent chance of happening in any year. In V zones, the bottom of the lowest beam holding up that floor must be at or above it. An enclosed area below that level may be used only for parking, getting into the building or storage. A substantial improvement of an existing home there must meet the same rules.

For flood map questions and general questions about the program, FEMA's Mapping and Insurance eXchange center is at 877-336-2627.

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