Flood insurance raised with MPs

Nick Gibb told the House of Commons the householder had been refused insurance because ‘the boundary of his property had suffered flooding’.

This occurred last June during the widespread floods in the area. But the individual’s neighbours had continued to be insured by their respective companies.

Mr Gibb, the MP for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, said the case showed why the government was right to consider taking on new powers to regulate for affordable house insurance.

After the debate, Mr Gibb said: “I am delighted that the government intends to take powers to ensure the insurance industry does provide the insurance cover households need.

“I have written to the insurance company involved asking them to explain why they were the only insurance company refusing to offer flood insurance, or indeed any cover, to people in that part of Middleton.

“I raised this case with the chief secretary to the Treasury (Danny Alexander) on the floor of the House of Commons and will do so again once I receive a response from the particular insurance company. It is very important all insurance companies adhere to the agreement reached with the government and that all households are able to obtain flood insurance.”

Mr Gibb’s comments in the Commons last Thursday came during Mr Alexander’s statement about the agreement with the insurance industry about flood insurance.

Mr Alexander told MPs an initial agreement had been reached with the Association of British Insurers on the future of flood insurance.

“The industry wants to do the right thing and so do we. The industry’s proposed scheme, known as Flood Re, promises to do that by effectively limiting insurance prices for high-risk households,” he stated.

He said up to 500,000 households would be helped. The support would be funded by a levy on insurers. This would not increase customer bills in general, according to the ABI.

“There remain many details to work through, so we propose to take powers to allow us to regulate for affordable flood insurance should that prove necessary,” said Mr Alexander.

These powers were included in a Water Bill which was launched in Parliament the same day along with a public consultation into it.