Nov

LATEST: Flooding report recommends landlords be forced to offer tenants more insurance cover

admin

Landlords of properties in flood risk areas should be forced to offer tenants more support following a flood and upgrade their insurance to offer tenants more cover, a report into last year’s extreme weather events has recommended.

Lead by insurance industry chief Amanda Blanc (right), the report focusses on the flooding in South Yorkshire last year but has recommended changes on a national level.

Her report, commissioned by the government, reveals shocking differences in cover between home owners and renters.

While 95% of home owners canvassed had adequate General Insurance in place, only 45% of tenants in Doncaster had taken out contents insurance of any kind.

When asked about specific flood insurance, nearly three quarters of owners confirmed that they had either buildings or contents insurance that covered flood damage.

But only 25% of tenants said they had contents insurance that covered flood damage.

The report therefore calls for landlords to be compelled to inform tenants about their buildings insurance and what to do if a flood occurs; and legislate to force landlords to have policies that offer tenants alternative accommodation if they are ‘flooded out’ for an extended period.

“This Review is essential in identifying some of the barriers that are in place for residents in high flood risk areas and understanding how we can take positive action to improve the protection available to residents moving forward,” said MP Rebecca Pow (left) when launching the report in Parliament.

Ministers are expected to act on the recommendations ‘in due course’.

Read the report in full.
Read more about insurance and flooding.

View Full Article: LATEST: Flooding report recommends landlords be forced to offer tenants more insurance cover