Pennsylvania lawmakers aims to increase flood insurance
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When Gary Cleveland purchased three cabins along the Brandywine Creek around the corner from his West Chester home, he didn’t buy flood insurance. The homes had lined the river since the turn of the century and survived multiple flooding events.
But during the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in 2021, as much as 8 inches of rain fell within six hours, surging sections of the Brandywine as high as 21 feet.
The rushing waters reached the roofline of Cleveland’s cabins, pushing two of them off their foundation.
He lost $150,000 for each cabin.
“I lost everything,” Cleveland said. “Flood insurance, I assumed, was too high for the risk. But it turns out I should have had flood insurance.”
Flooding in Pennsylvania has caused millions of dollars in damages to properties, shuttering businesses, forcing people out of their homes, inflicting financial and emotional trauma — and in some cases, taking lives.
As climate change threatens to make storms more intense, flood events are predicted to increase in the region. Yet, the majority of Pennsylvania homeowners are not protected by flood insurance.
State lawmakers hope to correct that.
State Rep. Perry Warren, D-Bucks, has sponsored legislation that would require home sellers to disclose flood risk to potential buyers.
“The flooding is so localized, it can be devastating in one spot while there is no flooding 100 yards away,” Warren said. “So, we are trying to raise awareness of the possibility of flooding and the potential impact that it can have, and put people on notice that they may want to insure against the damage to the property that can be caused by a flood event.”
The proposed legislation would require sellers to disclose previous flood damage, if their property is located in a FEMA-designated flood hazard area and whether flood insurance is required. In addition, sellers would have to disclose any history of receiving flood damage assistance or filing a flood insurance claim.