Insurers may be forced to cover damages caused in areas with flood defences

Insurers could be forced to cover properties in flood-risk areas where defences have been put in place, under new legislation.

That is one of the options open to the Government and may be considered if the insurance industry refuses to alter its policies on covering flood-risk areas.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny and ministers met insurance industry chiefs in Dublin yesterday in what was described as a “frank” exchange of views.