The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors warns that wheter you could’t achieve insurance coverage for your home, you’re in big problem. Mortgage lenders won’t lend on houses that are uninsurable and as a result its value could fall by up to 80%.
It is a high flood risk that’s most likely to make your house uninsurable. According to a current survey, 6.5 million homes are already at risk from flooding of which 1.5 million are in high risk areas. The government has completed flood defences in numerous such areas and protection for a more 80,000 homes is due this year. But concerns have also been expressed about a extra 120,000 new homes programmed for the Thames Gateway which are potentially in a good “at risk” zone. Yet many areas keep vulnerable. And if global warming continues, by 2030, the 1.5 million at risk could mushroom 3.5 million. Back in 2003 the Association of British Insurers (ABI) agreed the principles which committed UK insurers to providing home and contents insurance plan for properties in areas which are assessed to be at a flooding risk when in seventy five years or more. The rider was that the flood defences had to be already in place or would be completed through the end of 2007.
The Department for Location, Meal and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has the duty of developing and maintaining these flood defences but within the insurance industry there is widespread concern that insufficient progress is being made. Whether a effect the insurers have has warned the government that there could be widespread withdrawal of insurance coverage cover when development is stepped up.
In the mean time, those in areas threatened by flood water could find their insurance premiums soaring. Whilst the insurance plan industry agreed to give insurance plan cover, their commitment was simply to maintain premiums at “realistic” levels. But there was no definition of what “practicable” means. Whether a result premium increases of 60% have been common through up 400% increases in bad areas. In a tiny number of cases, cover has been withdrawn altogether, principally in country areas where DEFRA considers the expenses of defending a cluster of a few homes to be uneconomic.
Environmentalists warn that unless DEFRA gets it’s skates on, the UK ‘s existing bill for flood damage can raise from £950 million a year, to £3.2 billion. After every, the average insurance coverage claim for household flood damage is £30,000 – that is though higher than fire damage. & localised events like the 2004 flood at Boscastle, Cornwall , could cost the insurers over £fifteen million.
If you are in any doubt whether your the home or proposed the home, is in a flood risk zone, you should visit. This’s DEFRA’s web site where you could test as they think your home is at risk of flooding. Their maps were originally aimed for arrangement purposes & give statistics on a post-code basis.
Whilst multiple insurers use the DEFRA data, others love More Than, have their own flood maps. These assess homes individually rather than post code areas. This means that if your recent insurer increases your premium for flood risk & uses the DEFRA statistics, you might still be competent to accomplish a cheaper rate from an insurer using it is own flood info when its statistics identifies that your property is beyond the “at risk” zone.
The ABI has recently added to the pressure on DEFRA to accelerate the building & upgrading of flood defences. It has warned that unless the government increases its spending on flood defences, the insurance plan industry may not continue their commitment to the 2003 principles.
That would be bad news for various homeowners. Read more other FREE articles about budget car insurance, commercial van insurance and alliance auto insurance

