Memorandum submitted by Norwich Union
Insurance (FL 06)
Norwich Union were heavily involved in the response
to the recent floods, with the total claims received from the
June and July floods resulting in a combined total of approximately
30,000 claims. The overall cost to Aviva is estimated to be around
£340 million.
We believe that the EFRA Select Committee should
look into the following points as part of their review:
— The recent floods—Could they
have been prevented? What measures should be taken to prevent
this happening on such a widespread scale in the future?
— The Government's future Planning
Policy: What measures will be introduced to prevent houses on
flood plains from flooding? Will future Planning Policy take into
consideration the adequate infrastructure of drainage systems
in the UK? How successful has PPS25 been in its implementation?
— Annual Government spend on Flood
Prevention: What are their long term plans (i.e. past the 2007
Comprehensive Spending Review)? Where, and how, will the extra
money allocated up to 2010-11 be spent? How many people will benefit
from this extra spending?
— The UK flood risk: Are there any
plans to make data and information relating to this more widely
available to insurers and the general public?
— The state of UK flood defences: Can
the general public be confident that these are being adequately
maintained?
— Home Information Packs: Are there
any plans to introduce a flood search as standard?
— Long-term Flood Prevention plans
from Government: What does the Government have in place? How will
they take the effects of climate change into consideration?
— The quality and maintenance of dams
in the UK
— Protection for essential infrastructure,
e.g. power plants, water supplies
— Urban flooding: How can this best
be avoided? Who should take responsibility for managing this?
Norwich Union Insurance
August 2007
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