On 5 November 2020 the Government published Amanda Blanc’s independent Review into flood insurance following the November 2019 Doncaster floods. Her thorough analysis of insurance coverage in the area (available for download here) makes 12 recommendations, that will now be considered by Government.
The review highlights that some policies still exclude cover for flooding despite these falling within Flood Re’s remit.
The Report states that tenants (of which there are a higher number in more deprived communities) were poorly protected. It suggests requiring landlords to secure cover for tenants in the event the property is uninhabitable as well as reducing the Flood Re premium for low income households.
More broadly, the Review recommended that Flood Re, the Environment Agency and the ABI engage with communities to improve awareness of the risks and the options available. This would not only close the protection gap but improve customer confidence in the insurance industry.
DAC Beachcroft welcomed the opportunity to submit a detailed paper to the Review drawing on our experience as a market-leading insurance practice and our input is referenced in the Review.
Doncaster previously suffered major flooding in 2007 – a ‘1 in 100’ year event. The fact that devastating flooding occurred again only 12 years later demonstrates the need to re-evaluate the frequency of these events. Insurers and their policyholders must work together now to prepare themselves for increased climate volatility. More information on Climate Change can be found on our Informed Insurance site here.
