MP makes floods insurance appeal to Government (From York Press)
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MP makes floods insurance appeal to Government
8:06am Tuesday 30th October 2012 in News
A YORK MP has called on the Government to ensure residents whose homes are flooded get prompt advice and to put pressure on insurance firms to pay up quickly.
Hugh Bayley, who represents York Central, raised his concerns about the “human cost” of last month’s floods in the city with Environment Minister Richard Benyon, having visited homes and businesses which were affected with City of York Council leader James Alexander.
He asked Mr Benyon to give the Environment Agency responsibility for providing a package of advice to those hit by floods and to press for swifter compensation.
He said: “Insurance companies should make interim payments quickly because flood victims face immediate costs renting alternative homes, and businesses need money so staff can continue to be paid and damaged goods can be replaced.”
Mr Bayley and Coun Alexander are organising a public meeting with an Environment Agency representative so people who were affected by flooding can raise issues. It will be held on Saturday, November 17, at 10am at the Novotel in Fishergate.
Comments(5)
Jiffy
says...
2:50pm Tue 30 Oct 12
anistasia wrote:Well said Anistasia.
firstly make sure people who are in a postcode area that has never had a flood don't pay extra insurance for something they don't need the environmental agency need better maps markings.peopl who do get flooded should get help asap as stated but the cost of insurance must be kept to a minimum rise after a claim.someone on tv after a claim for flooding their next years premium rose by over £1000. People/companies find it hard enough without the extra cost.
They could also do to be pressing employers to be more understanding of staff whose homes are under threat and do indeed flood as I suspect there will be many who do not get paid if absent from work during a flooding situation or what they class as a flooding situation.
It is debateable quite how well an individual will perform at work with their mind on whether or not there home is under water and not being able to be on the ground - so to speak - to be advised by the authorities what is happening and keep an eye on levels themselves.
All well & good being advised by the Envronment Agency by text/e-mail & phone call that flooding is imminent & that evacuations will be carried out but this is not of much use if you are at work & unable to get home to turn off gas/electricity/sort out pets etc because you cannot afford to lose pay!
AnotherPointofView
says...
5:46pm Tue 30 Oct 12
anistasia wrote:Insurance is about risk. If a house floods once, then it follows that in the same circumstances it WILL flood again.
firstly make sure people who are in a postcode area that has never had a flood don't pay extra insurance for something they don't need the environmental agency need better maps markings.peopl who do get flooded should get help asap as stated but the cost of insurance must be kept to a minimum rise after a claim.someone on tv after a claim for flooding their next years premium rose by over £1000. People/companies find it hard enough without the extra cost.
Why should an insurance company not increase the premiums comensurate with the risk?
The homeowner may not like it that the premiums are being increased by a large amount but why should the insurance company "buy a claim". They aren't charities but companies who have to return a profit for their shareholders.
anistasia
says...
6:16pm Tue 30 Oct 12
meme
says...
9:27am Wed 31 Oct 12
Insurance companies should be able to charge a premium commensurate with the risk and in this case its easily identifiable what floods and what does not
No body buys a house nowadays without knowing the flood risk and i suspect those with major flooding issues are cheaper in the first place
This is not supposed to be a nanny state. What I object to is those of us paying higher premiums to susidise those who take irresponsible decisions to live where it does flood and then moan about insurance costs....!
anistasia says...
9:06am Tue 30 Oct 12