Flood insurance purchase and compliance requirements and escrow accounts
Amount and term of coverage
Requirement for mortgage loans
Regulated lending institutions
Each Federal entity for lending regulation (after consultation and coordination with the Financial Institutions Examination Council established under the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council Act of 1974 [12 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.]) shall by regulation direct regulated lending institutions—
not to make, increase, extend, or renew any loan secured by improved real estate or a mobile home located or to be located in an area that has been identified by the Administrator as an area having special flood hazards and in which flood insurance has been made available under the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 [42 U.S.C. 4001 et seq.], unless the building or mobile home and any personal property securing such loan is covered for the term of the loan by flood insurance in an amount at least equal to the outstanding principal balance of the loan or the maximum limit of coverage made available under the Act with respect to the particular type of property, whichever is less; and
to accept private flood insurance as satisfaction of the flood insurance coverage requirement under subparagraph (A) if the coverage provided by such private flood insurance meets the requirements for coverage under such subparagraph.
Federal agency lenders
Government-sponsored enterprises for housing
The Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation shall implement procedures reasonably designed to ensure that, for any loan that is—
secured by improved real estate or a mobile home located in an area that has been identified, at the time of the origination of the loan or at any time during the term of the loan, by the Administrator as an area having special flood hazards and in which flood insurance is available under the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, and
purchased by such entity,
the building or mobile home and any personal property securing the loan is covered for the term of the loan by flood insurance in the amount provided in paragraph (1)(A). The Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation shall accept private flood insurance as satisfaction of the flood insurance coverage requirement under paragraph (1)(A) if the flood insurance coverage provided by such private flood insurance meets the requirements for coverage under such paragraph and any requirements established by the Federal National Mortgage Association or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, respectively, relating to the financial solvency, strength, or claims-paying ability of private insurance companies from which the Federal National Mortgage Association or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation will accept private flood insurance.
Applicability
Existing coverage
New coverage
Continued effect of regulations
Rule of construction
Notice
In general
Each lender shall disclose to a borrower that is subject to this subsection that—
flood insurance is available from private insurance companies that issue standard flood insurance policies on behalf of the national flood insurance program or directly from the national flood insurance program;
flood insurance that provides the same level of coverage as a standard flood insurance policy under the national flood insurance program may be available from a private insurance company that issues policies on behalf of the company; and
the borrower is encouraged to compare the flood insurance coverage, deductibles, exclusions, conditions and premiums associated with flood insurance policies issued on behalf of the national flood insurance program and policies issued on behalf of private insurance companies and to direct inquiries regarding the availability, cost, and comparisons of flood insurance coverage to an insurance agent.
Rule of construction
Private flood insurance defined
In this subsection, the term “private flood insurance” means an insurance policy that—
is issued by an insurance company that is—
licensed, admitted, or otherwise approved to engage in the business of insurance in the State or jurisdiction in which the insured building is located, by the insurance regulator of that State or jurisdiction; or
in the case of a policy of difference in conditions, multiple peril, all risk, or other blanket coverage insuring nonresidential commercial property, is 1
provides flood insurance coverage which is at least as broad as the coverage provided under a standard flood insurance policy under the national flood insurance program, including when considering deductibles, exclusions, and conditions offered by the insurer;
includes—
a requirement for the insurer to give 45 days’ written notice of cancellation or non-renewal of flood insurance coverage to—
the insured; and
the regulated lending institution or Federal agency lender;
information about the availability of flood insurance coverage under the national flood insurance program;
a mortgage interest clause similar to the clause contained in a standard flood insurance policy under the national flood insurance program; and
a provision requiring an insured to file suit not later than 1 year after date of a written denial of all or part of a claim under the policy; and
contains cancellation provisions that are as restrictive as the provisions contained in a standard flood insurance policy under the national flood insurance program.
Exceptions to purchase requirements
State-owned property
Small loans
Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, subsections (a) and (b) shall not apply to any loan having—
an original outstanding principal balance of $5,000 or less; and
a repayment term of 1 year or less.
Detached structures
Escrow of flood insurance payments
Regulated lending institutions
Federal entities responsible for lending regulations
Limitation
Except as may be required under applicable State law, a Federal entity for lending regulation may not direct or require a regulated lending institution to deposit premiums or fees for flood insurance under the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 in an escrow account on behalf of a borrower under subparagraph (A)—
if—
the regulated lending institution has total assets of less than $1,000,000,000; and
on or before
in the case of a loan secured by residential improved real estate or a mobile home, was not required under Federal or State law to deposit taxes, insurance premiums, fees, or any other charges in an escrow account for the entire term of the loan; and
did not have a policy of consistently and uniformly requiring the deposit of taxes, insurance premiums, fees, or any other charges in an escrow account for loans secured by residential improved real estate or a mobile home; or
in the case of a loan that—
is in a junior or subordinate position to a senior lien secured by the same residential improved real estate or mobile home for which flood insurance is being provided at the time of the origination of the loan;
is secured by residential improved real estate or a mobile home that is part of a condominium, cooperative, or other project development, if the residential improved real estate or mobile home is covered by a flood insurance policy that—
meets the requirements that the regulated lending institution is required to enforce under subsection (b)(1);
is provided by the condominium association, cooperative, homeowners association, or other applicable group; and
the premium for which is paid by the condominium association, cooperative, homeowners association, or other applicable group as a common expense;
is secured by residential improved real estate or a mobile home that is used as collateral for a business purpose;
is a home equity line of credit;
is a nonperforming loan; or
has a term of not longer than 12 months.
Federal agency lenders
Applicability of RESPA
“Residential improved real estate” defined
Applicability
Placement of flood insurance by lender
Notification to borrower of lack of coverage
Purchase of coverage on behalf of borrower
Termination of force-placed insurance
Within 30 days of receipt by the lender or servicer of a confirmation of a borrower’s existing flood insurance coverage, the lender or servicer shall—
terminate any insurance purchased by the lender or servicer under paragraph (2); and
refund to the borrower all premiums paid by the borrower for any insurance purchased by the lender or servicer under paragraph (2) during any period during which the borrower’s flood insurance coverage and the insurance coverage purchased by the lender or servicer were each in effect, and any related fees charged to the borrower with respect to the insurance purchased by the lender or servicer during such period.
Sufficiency of demonstration
Review of determination regarding required purchase
In general
Effect of determination
Effect of failure to respond
Applicability
Civil monetary penalties for failure to require flood insurance or notify
Civil monetary penalties against regulated lenders
Lender violations
The violations referred to in paragraph (1) shall include—
making, increasing, extending, or renewing loans in violation of—
the regulations issued pursuant to subsection (b) of this section;
the escrow requirements under subsection (d) of this section; or
the notice requirements under section 1364 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 [42 U.S.C. 4104a]; or
failure to provide notice or purchase flood insurance coverage in violation of subsection (e) of this section.
Civil monetary penalties against GSE’s
In general
“Enterprise” defined
Notice and hearing
Amount
Lender compliance
Effect of transfer on liability
Deposit of penalties
Additional penalties
Statute of limitations
Other actions to remedy pattern of noncompliance
Authority of Federal entities for lending regulation
Determination of violations
A determination under this paragraph shall be a finding that—
the regulated lending institution has engaged in a pattern and practice of noncompliance in violation of the regulations issued pursuant to subsection (b), (d), or (e) or the notice requirements under section 1364 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 [42 U.S.C. 4104a]; and
the regulated lending institution has not demonstrated measurable improvement in compliance despite the assessment of civil monetary penalties under subsection (f).
Fee for determining location
Notwithstanding any other Federal or State law, any person who makes a loan secured by improved real estate or a mobile home or any servicer for such a loan may charge a reasonable fee for the costs of determining whether the building or mobile home securing the loan is located in an area having special flood hazards, but only in accordance with the following requirements:
Borrower fee
The borrower under such a loan may be charged the fee, but only if the determination—
is made pursuant to the making, increasing, extending, or renewing of the loan that is initiated by the borrower;
is made pursuant to a revision or updating under section 1360(f) 4
results in the purchase of flood insurance coverage pursuant to the requirement under subsection (e)(2).
Purchaser or transferee fee
Source
(Pub. L. 93–234, title I, § 102,Notes
Editorial Notes
References in Text
Codification
Amendments
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2014 Amendment
In general.—
Required application.—
The amendments to section 102(d)(1) of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4012a(d)(1)) made by section 100209(a) of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 (Public Law 112–141; 126 Stat. 920) and by subsection (a) of this section shall apply to any loan that is originated, refinanced, increased, extended, or renewed on or after
Optional application.—
Definitions.—
In this subparagraph—
the terms ‘Federal entity for lending regulation’, ‘improved real estate’, ‘regulated lending institution’, and ‘servicer’ have the meanings given the terms in section 3 of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4003);
the term ‘outstanding loan’ means a loan that—
is outstanding as of
is not subject to the requirement to escrow premiums and fees for flood insurance under section 102(d)(1) of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4012a(d)(1)) as in effect on
would, if the loan had been originated, refinanced, increased, extended, or renewed on or after
the term ‘section 102(d)(1)(A) of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, as amended’ means section 102(d)(1)(A) of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4012a(d)(1)(A)), as amended by—
section 100209(a) of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 (Public Law 112–141; 126 Stat. 920); and
subsection (a) of this section.
Option to escrow flood insurance payments.—
Each Federal entity for lending regulation (after consultation and coordination with the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council) shall, by regulation, direct that each regulated lending institution or servicer of an outstanding loan shall offer and make available to a borrower the option to have the borrower’s payment of premiums and fees for flood insurance under the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4001 et seq.), including the escrow of such payments, be treated in the same manner provided under section 102(d)(1)(A) of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, as amended.”