Flood Re, the body set up to enable insurers to offer lower premiums and excesses to high-risk flood homes across the UK, has produced its first transition plan setting out how the home insurance market will return to risk-reflective pricing by 2039.

Ahead of Flood Re’s planned launch in April, the statutory plan sets out how the scheme will work with partners to enable lower prices and excesses to be offered to consumers by the time it comes to an end in 2039. Flood Re’s said its role is to support these partners by providing a detailed evidence base highlighting:

• How the data it collects on the cost of flood claims can be used by insurers and others to cut the cost of repairs.
• Where it believes spending and incentives would be most effective in cutting the cost of flooding.
• How it may be possible in due course to incentivise householders and insurers to take the most effective measures to protect homes against flooding, whilst remaining firmly on the side of the people affected.

Flood Re said the three combined elements will enable informed decisions to be taken on the most effective ways to reduce the cost of flooding and therefore insurance. The plan does not comprehensively describe how Flood Re will reduce the scheme’s subsidy - the evidence base required to plan for transition does not currently exist.

Brendan McCafferty, Chief Executive of Flood Re, said:

“Flood Re has been established to improve the availability and reduce the cost of flood cover. We will be ready to accept policies in April and consumers should speak to their insurer and be prepared to shop around from that point on.”

“If we are to successfully reduce premiums and excesses for flood prone homes in a sustainable way over the coming decades, action must be taken to reduce the cost of flooding. These properties will need to be made more resilient when flooding happens and action needs to be taken to bring down the cost of repairing flood damage.

“Flood Re has an important role in ensuring any action is taken on solid evidence. However, as Flood Re has limited powers, we rely on developing strong relationships with the Government, government agencies, insurers, consumer groups and others to ensure that they take the necessary action to reduce the cost of flooding.”

“This transition plan is important because it is the first time we have been clear about what the market should look like when we end in 2039. Whether it is in our transition plans, in public debate or private engagement, Flood Re will remain true to its purpose of helping high risk households to access affordable flood cover.”

To create the evidence base Flood Re said it will listen to a wide range of stakeholders by establishing a transition plan advisory body with relevant experts. The next plan will report back on its work and will be published in time to inform the first of Flood Re’s five year reviews.

Flood Re is set to launch in April subject to regulatory approval. Flood Re submitted an application for authorisation to the UK’s financial regulators – the Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in June 2015. Flood Re is required to be authorised by the financial regulators before it can start accepting business. Until this point, the current Statement of Principles agreement between ABI members and Government will remain in place for households at risk of flooding.

Click here to watch the Flood Re video on how the scheme will work in practice on the Waterbriefing Watch channel.