Oireachtas set to quiz insurers over flood cover

An Oireachtas committee is set to grill the insurance industry on flood cover ahead of a major EU report which is expected to recommend that flood-risk properties be insured.

Cork South Central TD Ciaran Lynch, chairman of the Oireachtas committee on the environment, transport, culture, and the Gaeltacht, confirmed last night that the has invited the Irish Insurance Federation (IIF) to appear before it to discuss the challenges faced by home and business owners as a result of flooding.

“The refusal of flood insurance to areas seen as high risk seems to defeat the entire purpose of insurance,” said Mr Lynch.

“For example, the homeowners who were the victims of poor planning decisions, such as those with properties built on flood plains, should be able to live securely in the knowledge that their homes are protected against the risk of flooding.”

Cork was struck by a devastating flash flood on Jun 28, with hundreds of homes and businesses in Douglas, Blackpool, Glanmire, Ballyvolane, and Clonakilty suffering millions of euro worth of damage.

Mr Lynch said several individuals were still awaiting compensation.

“The devastation experienced by businesses and homeowners as a result of flooding is far reaching, and can cause undue stress with delays in receiving compensation, and even the refusal by insurance companies to renew insurance to previous claimants,” he said.

The EU is due to publish a major report on insurance industries in Europe next month.

“It will decide upon publication what action to take but it has been suggested that insurance companies will be asked to insure homes that are at risk of flooding,” said Mr Lynch.

He said in light of this impending report, and in the wake of severe flooding seen around the country in recent years, he has invited the IIF to come before the committee to discuss a range of issues, including the issue of insuring properties that are at risk of flooding.

However, he is also expected to quiz the industry on why vast swatches of Cork City, in particular, have been deemed uninsurable because of isolated cases of subsidence.

The Oireachtas finance committee has also been asked to quiz the IIF on how its members have responded to the latest Cork flooding incident.

Meanwhile, Clonakilty Town Council has asked the town’s flood victims to outline in writing when and how the June flood affected them.

The council wants to know when people became aware of flooding in their area, what time water entered their property, from what direction, and any other observations they may have from that night.

The information will be used to compile a detailed sequence of what led to the town’s worst flooding event.

Photographs and videos will also be accepted.

The reports can be emailed to town clerk Justin England at [e-mail].

Hard copies can be dropped in to the town council offices at Hume House on Wolfe Tone St.

* Phone [phone] for any queries.