Government backed independent review to look at Doncaster flood insurance woes

A government-backed independent investigation has been launched to find out why hundreds of people could not get home insurance in Doncaster following the 2007 floods.
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Many residents, especially in Bentley, were caught out in November, after widespread flooding left hundreds of homes deluged.

Some affected in 2007 were hit in 2019 and could not afford insurance payments and were left uninsured.

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Ros Jones, Doncaster mayor, recently told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that some residents were told they had to pay up to £7,500 for cover and it had become a choice to either ‘feed families or fork out for cover’.

A resident of Yarborough Terrace in Doncaster is helped from a boat after being taken from her home as flood waters rise from the River DonA resident of Yarborough Terrace in Doncaster is helped from a boat after being taken from her home as flood waters rise from the River Don
A resident of Yarborough Terrace in Doncaster is helped from a boat after being taken from her home as flood waters rise from the River Don

The main purpose of the review will aim to identify reasons why people did not have sufficient insurance cover, and in some cases no insurance at all, during the November 2019 floods.

Where necessary, the review it will consider action relevant for future flood events.

Concerns around the conduct of the insurance industry- including insurers and brokers - will not form part of the investigation,l because the Financial Conduct Authority is already conducting a review into compliance with conduct regulations.

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Amanda Blanc, an independent expert, will lead the review and an academic/contractor will be commissioned to gather the evidence. The reviewer will get necessary input from relevant government departments:

A government spokesman said: “The scope of the review will cover both domestic and business insurance and will cover the breadth of issues related to insurance cover raised following the recent flooding including awareness of flood insurance, uptake, availability and affordability.

“It will cover issues raised for those with and without flood insurance.

“The review will include a deep dive of the Doncaster area, which is the most affected area following the flooding. The flood event in scope covers November 8-18, 2019.

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“The availability and affordability of the flooding component of household insurance as a result of Flood Re’s existence will form just one element of the wider review.”

A final report is expected to be completed and published by September this year.

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