Call made for better deal for flood victims (From Gazette & Herald)

Call made for better deal for flood victims

2:11pm Wednesday 1st February 2012 in News

INSURANCE companies should give households in flood-risk areas a better deal.

That’s according to Ryedale’s MP, Anne McIntosh, who was responding to a report published by the Association of British Insurers (ABI). It reveals that 762 homes in her Thirsk and Malton constituency could struggle to get access to affordable flood insurance if the Government fails to agree a way forward with the insurance industry on the future of flood protection.

“Many householders in Pickering have taken their own initiatives to help combat flooding of their homes and the insurance companies should take this into account when assessing premiums,” she said.

Ms McIntosh believed that for some of the 762 households, it was probably more a case of premiums being prohibitively high than not being able to get insurance cover at all. But, she added, the Government was working with the insurance industry to bring about a more satisfactory situation.

Ms McIntosh is playing a key part as chairman of Defra’s Environment Select Committee and of an all-party group on flood risk management to bring about a better deal for flood-risk households.

Environment Minister Richard Beynon is to meet the group to discuss flooding schemes in th next few weeks.

“Local solutions are the way forward,” said Ms McIntosh.

Since 2000, the ABI has had an agreement with the Government, known as the Statement of Principles, which ensures that flood insurance continues to be available for those at greatest risk of flooding, in return for the Government investing in defence schemes.

A spokeswoman for the ABI said: “It is, however, long past its sell-by date and was only ever intended as a temporary sticking plaster.

“It is bad for customers because those at low-risk pay more for their insurance to subside than those at high-risk.”