The report from the Government’s Foresight Programme on the impact of climate change on the future risk of flooding reinforces the need for sustained investment in flood defences says the ABI (Association of British Insurers).

For many people, flooding is a fact of life. There are approximately 2 million homes at risk from coastal or inland flooding (10 % of homes in the UK), and around 200,000 homes at very high risk of flooding, namely with a greater than 1-in-75 chance per year of flooding

Responding to the report John Parker, the ABI’s Head of General Insurance, who also sat on the project’s high – level stakeholder group said: “ Climate change is the most significant environmental challenge facing society.”

“This report highlights the need to pro-actively tackle climate change if we are to avoid significant rises in the risk of flooding.”

“While the Government has a significant flood management programme in place, in some areas the flood risk remains substantial. Increased Government spending on flood defences in recent years needs to be sustained to ensure that flood insurance continues to be widely available.”

To help those households most at risk of repeated flooding, the ABI, in conjunction with the National Flood Forum (NFF), has launched a fact sheet on steps they can take to reduce flood damage. The extra cost involved will usually be offset by the damage costs saved after a single flood.

Measures include:

• Replace wooden floors with concrete and cover with tiles.
• Update chipboard/MDF kitchen and bathroom units with plastic equivalents.
• Replace gypsum plaster with more water – resistant material, such as lime plaster.
• Move electrical points, service meters and boilers above the likely flood level.

Gill Holland, Operations Director at the National Flood Forum said, “We are pleased to be working with the ABI in promoting flood resilient measures. By encouraging householders and insurance companies to co-operate in putting back more sensible options after flooding, houses become less vulnerable. The misery for the homeowner is considerably reduced, along with the size of any future insurance claim.”

John Parker added: “ In the face of the increasing flood risk, insurers continue to do all they can to make flood insurance cover as widely available to as many of the UK’s two million flood- vulnerable homeowners as possible.”

The ABI’s flood guidance ‘ Flood Resilient Homes – What homeowners can do to reduce flood damage ‘ is on: www.abi.org.uk/Display/File/Child/228/Flood_Resilient_Homes.pdf