(a) Purpose and scope—

(1) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to implement the requirements of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 and the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4001-4129).

(2) Scope. This section, except for paragraphs (f) and (h) of this section, applies to loans secured by buildings or mobile homes located or to be located in areas determined by the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to have special flood hazards. Paragraphs (f) and (h) of this section apply to loans secured by buildings or mobile homes, regardless of location.

(b) Definitions. For purposes of this section:

(1) Act means the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4001-4129).

(2) Administrator of FEMA means the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

(3) Building means a walled and roofed structure, other than a gas or liquid storage tank, that is principally above ground and affixed to a permanent site, and a walled and roofed structure while in the course of construction, alteration, or repair.

(4) Community means a State or a political subdivision of a State that has zoning and building code jurisdiction over a particular area having special flood hazards.

(5) Designated loan means a loan secured by a building or mobile home that is located or to be located in a special flood hazard area in which flood insurance is available under the Act.

(6) Mobile home means a structure, transportable in one or more sections, that is built on a permanent chassis and designed for use with or without a permanent foundation when attached to the required utilities. The term mobile home does not include a recreational vehicle. For purposes of this section, the term mobile home means a mobile home on a permanent foundation. The term mobile home includes a manufactured home as that term is used in the NFIP.

(7) Mutual aid society means an organization—

(i) Whose members share a common religious, charitable, educational, or fraternal bond;

(ii) That covers losses caused by damage to members' property pursuant to an agreement, including damage caused by flooding, in accordance with this common bond; and

(iii) That has a demonstrated history of fulfilling the terms of agreements to cover losses to members' property caused by flooding.

(8) NFIP means the National Flood Insurance Program authorized under the Act.

(9) Private flood insurance means an insurance policy that:

(i) Is issued by an insurance company that is:

(A) Licensed, admitted, or otherwise approved to engage in the business of insurance by the insurance regulator of the State or jurisdiction in which the property to be insured is located; or

(B) Recognized, or not disapproved, as a surplus lines insurer by the insurance regulator of the State or jurisdiction in which the property to be insured is located in the case of a policy of difference in conditions, multiple peril, all risk, or other blanket coverage insuring nonresidential commercial property;

(ii) Provides flood insurance coverage that is at least as broad as the coverage provided under an SFIP for the same type of property, including when considering deductibles, exclusions, and conditions offered by the insurer. To be at least as broad as the coverage provided under an SFIP, the policy must, at a minimum:

(A) Define the term “flood” to include the events defined as a “flood” in an SFIP;

(B) Contain the coverage specified in an SFIP, including that relating to building property coverage; personal property coverage, if purchased by the insured mortgagor(s); other coverages; and increased cost of compliance coverage;

(C) Contain deductibles no higher than the specified maximum, and include similar non-applicability provisions, as under an SFIP, for any total policy coverage amount up to the maximum available under the NFIP at the time the policy is provided to the lender;

(D) Provide coverage for direct physical loss caused by a flood and may only exclude other causes of loss that are excluded in an SFIP. Any exclusions other than those in an SFIP may pertain only to coverage that is in addition to the amount and type of coverage that could be provided by an SFIP or have the effect of providing broader coverage to the policyholder; and

(E) Not contain conditions that narrow the coverage provided in an SFIP;

(iii) Includes all of the following:

(A) A requirement for the insurer to give written notice 45 days before cancellation or non-renewal of flood insurance coverage to:

(1) The insured; and

(2) The member bank that made the designated loan secured by the property covered by the flood insurance, or the servicer acting on its behalf;

(B) Information about the availability of flood insurance coverage under the NFIP;

(C) A mortgage interest clause similar to the clause contained in an SFIP; and

(D) A provision requiring an insured to file suit not later than one year after the date of a written denial of all or part of a claim under the policy; and

(iv) Contains cancellation provisions that are as restrictive as the provisions contained in an SFIP.

(10) Residential improved real estate means real estate upon which a home or other residential building is located or to be located.

(11) Servicer means the person responsible for:

(i) Receiving any scheduled, periodic payments from a borrower under the terms of a loan, including amounts for taxes, insurance premiums, and other charges with respect to the property securing the loan; and

(ii) Making payments of principal and interest and any other payments from the amounts received from the borrower as may be required under the terms of the loan.

(12) SFIP means, for purposes of paragraph (b)(9) of this section, a standard flood insurance policy issued under the NFIP in effect as of the date private flood insurance is provided to a member bank.

(13) Special flood hazard area means the land in the flood plain within a community having at least a one percent chance of flooding in any given year, as designated by the Administrator of FEMA.

(14) Table funding means a settlement at which a loan is funded by a contemporaneous advance of loan funds and an assignment of the loan to the person advancing the funds.

(c) Requirement to purchase flood insurance where available—

(1) In general. A member bank shall not make, increase, extend, or renew any designated loan unless the building or mobile home and any personal property securing the loan is covered by flood insurance for the term of the loan. The amount of insurance must be at least equal to the lesser of the outstanding principal balance of the designated loan or the maximum limit of coverage available for the particular type of property under the Act. Flood insurance coverage under the Act is limited to the building or mobile home and any personal property that secures a loan and not the land itself.

(2) Table funded loans. A member bank that acquires a loan from a mortgage broker or other entity through table funding shall be considered to be making a loan for the purposes of this section.

(3) Private flood insurance—

(i) Mandatory acceptance. A member bank must accept private flood insurance, as defined in paragraph (b)(9) of this section, in satisfaction of the flood insurance purchase requirement in paragraph (c)(1) of this section if the policy meets the requirements for coverage in paragraph (c)(1) of this section.

(ii) Compliance aid for mandatory acceptance. A member bank may determine that a policy meets the definition of private flood insurance in paragraph (b)(9) of this section, without further review of the policy, if the following statement is included within the policy or as an endorsement to the policy: “This policy meets the definition of private flood insurance contained in 42 U.S.C. 4012a(b)(7) and the corresponding regulation.”

(iii) Discretionary acceptance. A member bank may accept a flood insurance policy issued by a private insurer that is not issued under the NFIP and that does not meet the definition of private flood insurance in paragraph (b)(9) of this section in satisfaction of the flood insurance purchase requirement in paragraph (c)(1) of this section if the policy:

(A) Provides coverage in the amount required by paragraph (c)(1) of this section;

(B) Is issued by an insurer that is licensed, admitted, or otherwise approved to engage in the business of insurance by the insurance regulator of the State or jurisdiction in which the property to be insured is located; or in the case of a policy of difference in conditions, multiple peril, all risk, or other blanket coverage insuring nonresidential commercial property, is issued by a surplus lines insurer recognized, or not disapproved, by the insurance regulator of the State or jurisdiction where the property to be insured is located;

(C) Covers both the mortgagor(s) and the mortgagee(s) as loss payees, except in the case of a policy that is provided by a condominium association, cooperative, homeowners association, or other applicable group and for which the premium is paid by the condominium association, cooperative, homeowners association, or other applicable group as a common expense; and

(D) Provides sufficient protection of the designated loan, consistent with general safety and soundness principles, and the member bank documents its conclusion regarding sufficiency of the protection of the loan in writing.

(iv) Mutual aid societies. Notwithstanding the requirements of paragraph (c)(3)(iii) of this section, a member bank may accept a plan issued by a mutual aid society, as defined in paragraph (b)(7) of this section, in satisfaction of the flood insurance purchase requirement in paragraph (c)(1) of this section if:

(A) The Board has determined that such plans qualify as flood insurance for purposes of the Act.

(B) The plan provides coverage in the amount required by paragraph (c)(1) of this section;

(C) The plan covers both the mortgagor(s) and the mortgagee(s) as loss payees; and

(D) The plan provides sufficient protection of the designated loan, consistent with general safety and soundness principles, and the member bank documents its conclusion regarding sufficiency of the protection of the loan in writing.

(d) Exemptions. The flood insurance requirement prescribed by paragraph (c) of this section does not apply with respect to:

(1) Any State-owned property covered under a policy of self-insurance satisfactory to the Administrator of FEMA, who publishes and periodically revises the list of States falling within this exemption;

(2) Property securing any loan with an original principal balance of $5,000 or less and a repayment term of one year or less; or

(3) Any structure that is a part of any residential property but is detached from the primary residential structure of such property and does not serve as a residence. For purposes of this paragraph (d)(3):

(i) “A structure that is a part of a residential property” is a structure used primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, and not used primarily for agricultural, commercial, industrial, or other business purposes;

(ii) A structure is “detached” from the primary residential structure if it is not joined by any structural connection to that structure; and

(iii) “Serve as a residence” shall be based upon the good faith determination of the member bank that the structure is intended for use or actually used as a residence, which generally includes sleeping, bathroom, or kitchen facilities.

(e) Escrow requirement—

(1) In general—

(i) Applicability. Except as provided in paragraphs (e)(1)(ii) or (e)(3) of this section, a member bank, or a servicer acting on its behalf, shall require the escrow of all premiums and fees for any flood insurance required under paragraph (c) of this section for any designated loan secured by residential improved real estate or a mobile home that is made, increased, extended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2016, payable with the same frequency as payments on the designated loan are required to be made for the duration of the loan.

(ii) Exceptions. Paragraph (e)(1)(i) of this section does not apply if:

(A) The loan is an extension of credit primarily for business, commercial, or agricultural purposes;

(B) The loan is in a subordinate position to a senior lien secured by the same residential improved real estate or mobile home for which the borrower has obtained flood insurance coverage that meets the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section;

(C) Flood insurance coverage for the residential improved real estate or mobile home is provided by a policy that:

(1) Meets the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section;

(2) Is provided by a condominium association, cooperative, homeowners association, or other applicable group; and

(3) The premium for which is paid by the condominium association, cooperative, homeowners association, or other applicable group as a common expense;

(D) The loan is a home equity line of credit;

(E) The loan is a nonperforming loan, which is a loan that is 90 or more days past due and remains nonperforming until it is permanently modified or until the entire amount past due, including principal, accrued interest, and penalty interest incurred as the result of past due status, is collected or otherwise discharged in full; or

(F) The loan has a term of not longer than 12 months.

(iii) Duration of exception. If a member bank, or a servicer acting on behalf of the bank, determines at any time during the term of a designated loan secured by residential improved real estate or a mobile home that is made, increased, extended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2016, that an exception under paragraph (e)(1)(ii) of this section does not apply, then the bank or its servicer shall require the escrow of all premiums and fees for any flood insurance required under paragraph (c) of this section as soon as reasonably practicable and, if applicable, shall provide any disclosure required under section 10 of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974 (12 U.S.C. 2609) (RESPA).

(iv) Escrow account. The member bank, or a servicer acting on its behalf, shall deposit the flood insurance premiums and fees on behalf of the borrower in an escrow account. This escrow account will be subject to escrow requirements adopted pursuant to section 10 of RESPA, which generally limits the amount that may be maintained in escrow accounts for certain types of loans and requires escrow account statements for those accounts, only if the loan is otherwise subject to RESPA. Following receipt of a notice from the Administrator of FEMA or other provider of flood insurance that premiums are due, the member bank, or a servicer acting on its behalf, shall pay the amount owed to the insurance provider from the escrow account by the date when such premiums are due.

(2) Notice. For any loan for which a member bank is required to escrow under paragraphs (e)(1) or (e)(3)(ii) of this section or may be required to escrow under paragraph (e)(1)(iii) of this section during the term of the loan, the member bank, or a servicer acting on its behalf, shall mail or deliver a written notice with the notice provided under paragraph (i) of this section informing the borrower that the member bank is required to escrow all premiums and fees for required flood insurance, using language that is substantially similar to model clauses on the escrow requirement in appendix A to this section.

(3) Small lender exception—

(i) Qualification. Except as may be required under applicable State law, paragraphs (e)(1), (2), and (4) of this section do not apply to a member bank:

(A) That has total assets of less than $1 billion as of December 31 of either of the two prior calendar years; and

(B) On or before July 6, 2012:

(1) 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 any loan secured by residential improved real estate or a mobile home; and

(2) 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 any loans secured by residential improved real estate or a mobile home.

(ii) Change in status. If a member bank previously qualified for the exception in paragraph (e)(3)(i) of this section, but no longer qualifies for the exception because it had assets of $1 billion or more for two consecutive calendar year ends, the member bank must escrow premiums and fees for flood insurance pursuant to paragraph (e)(1) of this section for any designated loan made, increased, extended, or renewed on or after July 1 of the first calendar year of changed status.

(4) Option to escrow.

(i) In general. A member bank, or a servicer acting on its behalf, shall offer and make available to the borrower the option to escrow all premiums and fees for any flood insurance required under paragraph (c) of this section for any loan secured by residential improved real estate or a mobile home that is outstanding on January 1, 2016, or July 1 of the first calendar year in which the member bank has had a change in status pursuant to paragraph (e)(3)(ii) of this section, unless:

(A) The loan or the member bank qualifies for an exception from the escrow requirement under paragraphs (e)(1)(ii) or (e)(3) of this section, respectively;

(B) The borrower is already escrowing all premiums and fees for flood insurance for the loan; or

(C) The member bank is required to escrow flood insurance premiums and fees pursuant to paragraph (e)(1) of this section.

(ii) Notice. For any loan subject to paragraph (e)(4)(i) of this section, the member bank, or a servicer acting on its behalf, shall mail or deliver to the borrower no later than June 30, 2016, or September 30 of the first calendar year in which the member bank has had a change in status pursuant to paragraph (e)(3)(ii) of this section, a notice in writing, or if the borrower agrees, electronically, informing the borrower of the option to escrow all premiums and fees for any required flood insurance and the method(s) by which the borrower may request the escrow, using language similar to the model clause in appendix B to this section.

(iii) Timing. The member bank or servicer must begin escrowing premiums and fees for flood insurance as soon as reasonably practicable after the member bank or servicer receives the borrower's request to escrow.

(f) Required use of standard flood hazard determination form—

(1) Use of form. A state member bank shall use the standard flood hazard determination form developed by the Administrator of FEMA when determining whether the building or mobile home offered as collateral security for a loan is or will be located in a special flood hazard area in which flood insurance is available under the Act. The standard flood hazard determination form may be used in a printed, computerized, or electronic manner. A state member bank may obtain the standard flood hazard determination form from FEMA's Web site at www.fema.gov.

(2) Retention of form. A state member bank shall retain a copy of the completed standard flood hazard determination form, in either hard copy or electronic form, for the period of time the state member bank owns the loan.

(g) Force placement of flood insurance—

(1) Notice and purchase of coverage. If a member bank, or a servicer acting on behalf of the bank, determines at any time during the term of a designated loan, that the building or mobile home and any personal property securing the designated loan is not covered by flood insurance or is covered by flood insurance in an amount less than the amount required under paragraph (c) of this section, then the member bank or its servicer shall notify the borrower that the borrower should obtain flood insurance, at the borrower's expense, in an amount at least equal to the amount required under paragraph (c) of this section, for the remaining term of the loan. If the borrower fails to obtain flood insurance within 45 days after notification, then the member bank or its servicer shall purchase insurance on the borrower's behalf. The member bank or its servicer may charge the borrower for the cost of premiums and fees incurred in purchasing the insurance, including premiums or fees incurred for coverage beginning on the date on which flood insurance coverage lapsed or did not provide a sufficient coverage amount.

(2) Termination of force-placed insurance—

(i) Termination and refund. Within 30 days of receipt by a member bank, or a servicer acting on its behalf, of a confirmation of a borrower's existing flood insurance coverage, the member bank or its servicer shall:

(A) Notify the insurance provider to terminate any insurance purchased by the member bank or its servicer under paragraph (g)(1) of this section; and

(B) Refund to the borrower all premiums paid by the borrower for any insurance purchased by the member bank or its servicer under paragraph (g)(1) of this section during any period during which the borrower's flood insurance coverage and the insurance coverage purchased by the member bank or its servicer were each in effect, and any related fees charged to the borrower with respect to the insurance purchased by the member bank or its servicer during such period.

(ii) Sufficiency of demonstration. For purposes of confirming a borrower's existing flood insurance coverage under paragraph (g)(2) of this section, a member bank or its servicer shall accept from the borrower an insurance policy declarations page that includes the existing flood insurance policy number and the identity of, and contact information for, the insurance company or agent.

(h) Determination fees.—

(1) General. Notwithstanding any Federal or State law other than the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4001-4129), any member bank, or a servicer acting on behalf of the bank, may charge a reasonable fee for determining whether the building or mobile home securing the loan is located or will be located in a special flood hazard area. A determination fee may also include, but is not limited to, a fee for life-of-loan monitoring.

(2) Borrower fee. The determination fee authorized by paragraph (h)(1) of this section may be charged to the borrower if the determination:

(i) Is made in connection with a making, increasing, extending, or renewing of the loan that is initiated by the borrower;

(ii) Reflects the Administrator of FEMA's revision or updating of flood plain areas or flood-risk zones;

(iii) Reflects the Administrator of FEMA's publication of a notice or compendium that:

(A) Affects the area in which the building or mobile home securing the loan is located; or

(B) By determination of the Administrator of FEMA, may reasonably require a determination whether the building or mobile home securing the loan is located in a special flood hazard area; or

(iv) Results in the purchase of flood insurance coverage by the lender or its servicer on behalf of the borrower under paragraph (g) of this section.

(3) Purchaser or transferee fee. The determination fee authorized by paragraph (h)(1) of this section may be charged to the purchaser or transferee of a loan in the case of the sale or transfer of the loan.

(i) Notice of special flood hazards and availability of Federal disaster relief assistance. When a member bank makes, increases, extends, or renews a loan secured by a building or a mobile home located or to be located in a special flood hazard area, the bank shall mail or deliver a written notice to the borrower and to the servicer in all cases whether or not flood insurance is available under the Act for the collateral securing the loan.

(1) Contents of notice. The written notice must include the following information:

(i) A warning, in a form approved by the Administrator of FEMA, that the building or the mobile home is or will be located in a special flood hazard area;

(ii) A description of the flood insurance purchase requirements set forth in section 102(b) of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4012a(b));

(iii) A statement, where applicable, that flood insurance coverage is available from private insurance companies that issue standard flood insurance policies on behalf of the NFIP or directly from the NFIP;

(iv) A statement that flood insurance that provides the same level of coverage as a standard flood insurance policy under the NFIP also may be available from a private insurance company that issues policies on behalf of the company;

(v) A statement that 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 NFIP and policies issued on behalf of private insurance companies and that the borrower should direct inquiries regarding the availability, cost, and comparisons of flood insurance coverage to an insurance agent; and

(vi) A statement whether Federal disaster relief assistance may be available in the event of damage to the building or mobile home caused by flooding in a Federally declared disaster.

(2) Timing of notice. The member bank shall provide the notice required by paragraph (i)(1) of this section to the borrower within a reasonable time before the completion of the transaction, and to the servicer as promptly as practicable after the bank provides notice to the borrower and in any event no later than the time the bank provides other similar notices to the servicer concerning hazard insurance and taxes. Notice to the servicer may be made electronically or may take the form of a copy of the notice to the borrower.

(3) Record of receipt. The member bank shall retain a record of the receipt of the notices by the borrower and the servicer for the period of time the bank owns the loan.

(4) Alternate method of notice. Instead of providing the notice to the borrower required by paragraph (i)(1) of this section, a member bank may obtain satisfactory written assurance from a seller or lessor that, within a reasonable time before the completion of the sale or lease transaction, the seller or lessor has provided such notice to the purchaser or lessee. The member bank shall retain a record of the written assurance from the seller or lessor for the period of time the bank owns the loan.

(5) Use of sample form of notice. A member bank will be considered to be in compliance with the requirement for notice to the borrower of this paragraph (i) of this section by providing written notice to the borrower containing the language presented in appendix A of this section within a reasonable time before the completion of the transaction. The notice presented in appendix A of this section satisfies the borrower notice requirements of the Act.

(j) Notice of servicer's identity—

(1) Notice requirement. When a member bank makes, increases, extends, renews, sells, or transfers a loan secured by a building or mobile home located or to be located in a special flood hazard area, the bank shall notify the Administrator of FEMA (or the Administrator's designee) in writing of the identity of the servicer of the loan. The Administrator of FEMA has designated the insurance provider to receive the member bank's notice of the servicer's identity. This notice may be provided electronically if electronic transmission is satisfactory to the Administrator of FEMA's designee.

(2) Transfer of servicing rights. The member bank shall notify the Administrator of FEMA (or the Administrator's designee) of any change in the servicer of a loan described in paragraph (j)(1) of this section within 60 days after the effective date of the change. This notice may be provided electronically if electronic transmission is satisfactory to the Administrator of FEMA's designee. Upon any change in the servicing of a loan described in paragraph (j)(1) of this section, the duty to provide notice under this paragraph (j)(2) of this section shall transfer to the transferee servicer.

[Reg. H, 80 FR 43245, July 21, 2015, as amended at 80 FR 43247, July 21, 2015; 84 FR 4970, Feb. 20, 2019]