It has been government policy for many years to encourage the building of lower cost housing on flood plains. This is because the land is often cheaply available, the main reason being that a flood plain is exactly that – an area at high risk of flooding. Yet it seems common sense has been ignored in the hunt for both profits on the part of homebuilders and government in the form of increased tax revenues. We cannot ignore the more important issue that there is indeed a shortage - often severe - of housing stock in many places. With increasing population in areas such as the South-East of England, there is a corresponding increase in pressure on available accommodation. This has led to such government backed plans as 120,000 homes to be build in the Thames Gateway area, which is technically at high risk of flooding.
Nevertheless, there have been moves by the government to lessen the flood risk by a policy of increasing flood defence provision. While this sounds good on paper, in practice and as was demonstrated by the 2007 floods in Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Yorkshire, this was totally inadequate. Already 1.5 million homes are at risk of flooding in the UK, and with last year's bill topping £3bn, future years could see even higher bills – some figures put 3.5 million homes at risk of flooding by 2030 if global warming continues at the current rate.
The reality is that flood defences have not been improved and indeed many are falling apart or clogged up through years of underinvestment. Some action has taken place as a result of the damage caused by the 2007 floods, but even this appears to be minimal. Accordingly, we are required to put the best provision in place to defend ourselves against the cost of flood damage, and this takes the form of a good home insurance policy from someone like the Co-Op. They will be best able to help reduce your premiums if you live in an area at risk of flooding, and will work with you to do so, offering practical advice – they may recommend replacing wooden floors with concrete ones, for example. It is after all in the insurer's interest as well as your own to ensure that flood risk is minimised.
For house insurance quotes try the Co-Operative.