Connecticut Unveils Climate Risk Map Tool

Connecticut is proactively addressing the growing issue of outdated flood maps by launching a public climate-risk mapping tool. Available on the insurance department's website, this portal allows residents to assess their property's exposure to floods, wildfires, and wind. The initiative was spurred by severe flooding in western Connecticut in 2024, which highlighted discrepancies between official risk maps and actual conditions.

Interim Insurance Commissioner Josh Hershman stressed that the tool is purely informational, intended to close knowledge gaps before future disasters. Homeowners and real estate professionals have raised concerns about potential property devaluation due to the new risk data, questioning the transparency and regulation of the models used. Some buyers are reportedly ruling out properties based on these new assessments.

The state partnered with First Street Technologies Inc., a hazard risk modeler. Their model identifies approximately 81,000 more properties facing severe flood risk than FEMA maps, largely due to the inclusion of localized heavy rainfall impacts. This initiative coincides with new state requirements, effective July 1, 2026, mandating sellers and landlords disclose flood risk details to buyers and tenants.