More than 600,000 properties in flood risk areas could now qualify for insurance thanks to the launch of a revolutionary flood map of the UK.

The new digital map, developed by Norwich Union, is the largest and most accurate ever undertaken in Britain and is being used to pinpoint the risk of river flooding to individual properties.

And for the five million people living or working in flood risk areas across the UK, this means more accurate premiums and a better understanding of the risk to their property.

The mapping system will also enable insurers to pin-point whether individual homes are at risk from flood.

Norwich Union is one of the first insurers to set premiums based on a particular address rather than just a postcode band, for both residential and commercial properties. As well as showing whether a property is at risk, the map shows how often a flood is likely to occur and to what depth.

The multi-million pound project is initially launching in parts of Shropshire and Norfolk and will be rolled out across the UK, starting with high-risk flood areas. It is anticipated that the project will be completed by the end of 2004.

Shropshire has been selected as a key launch area following the devastating floods of October 2000 and ongoing flood risk. Norfolk was chosen because of the continued risk to properties on low-lying land.

And the insurer believes that more people are likely to benefit from the flood map because in some cases it may indicate that their property isn’t in fact at risk or won’t flood as often as previously thought.

Laurence Loughnane, head of underwriting at Norwich Union, said:

"Although insurance companies can’t stop properties being flooded, we believe we have a responsibility to ensure flood risk is calculated as accurately as possible.”

“Norwich Union has been leading the flooding education and lobbying programme over the past few years and has always been striving for better information about the risk to homes and businesses, and this project represents our further commitment.”

"Because of the level of detail provided by the map, people who previously thought their property was uninsurable could now obtain cover. The ability to pinpoint whether an individual house is on a hill or raised ground, and how floodwaters will flow, is invaluable in the fight against flood damage. The new information will help to convey to customers just how severe the flooding risk to their property will be and how often a flood can be expected."

“In the past, one of the major obstacles to better flood prediction has been the lack of detailed and accurate information on the height of land surrounding rivers. The Norwich Union flood map has been specially commissioned to make use of the latest technology to help tackle this obstacle.”

Norwich Union worked with Intermap to collect data using an airborne radar system, to produce the Digital Elevation Model – which shows the height of the ground above sea level. This was combined with a software model provided by JBA Consulting to produce the final map showing where floods are likely to occur, how they can spread and how far they can extend.

Gill Holland, operations director for the National Flood Forum, said:

"New data that better informs people about the risks of flooding is essential. The mapping will not prevent the emotional stress and trauma caused by actual floods, but will help those communities where only a small number of houses and businesses are affected by flooding, but the entire postcode area has effectively been denied insurance."

"When you consider that more than £200 billion of property, land and assets are at risk of flooding, the need for accurate and detailed information is crucial. The wetter winters that are predicted as a result of climate change may double the frequency of inland floods within the next fifty years."

Information from the flood map will be used to make changes to existing customers’ premiums as their policies are renewed. New customers should call Norwich Union Direct on 0800 092 9561 or speak to their insurance broker.