VOTE: Concerns mounting over flood insurance for Littlehampton area homes

Mounting concern is growing after insurances companies announced they would be refusing new flood protection policies for customers from June, 2013 – which follows in the wake of the Environment Agency’s (EA) announcement, last month, that a £12m flood defence scheme in Littlehampton will be postponed by about a year.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI), the Government and lenders are currently discussing the future “statement of principles” for insurers, which set out the guidelines companies must follow when providing flood protection.

However, this agreement is set to cease in June 2013. In effect, insurance companies would be perfectly within their rights to refuse policies to new customers – even if they are in flood-risk zones – a situation which Bognor Regis and Littlehampton MP Nick Gibb said was “totally unacceptable”.

Mr Gibb has already raised the issue in parliamentary question time, earlier this month.

Speaking to the Gazette, Mr Gibb said: “It’s something that’s very worrying and extremely important.

“We can’t have a situation where hundreds of new homeowners in the Arun district are without appropriate flood protection insurance. It’s completely unacceptable.”

Robert Boyce, who recently bought a property in Rope Walk – just metres away from the River Arun – said he has been refused content insurance a staggering 98 times by different companies.

He said: “The impact is potentially catastrophic for a number of people, specifically those who own properties while living in flood-risk areas, which quite frankly a lot of us do.

“It’s incredibly worrying that it’s happening while everybody seems to be asleep and concerned with the negative aspects of the local plan.

“This is something that is cause for serious concern.”

What do you think?

With the prospect of many new homeowners no longer able to insure their properties, should the Government be doing more to tackle the problem with insurance companies? Cast your vote in the poll to the right of the screen and leave your comments below.

Read the full story in today’s (September 20) Gazette.