Pen Underwriting commits to helping homeowners bolster flood resilience with Build Back Better

Published On : 04 Dec 2024

Pen Underwriting’s specialist home insurance practice has signed up to Flood Re’s Build Back Better scheme to reduce the impact of future flooding on its customers by helping to strengthen their properties’ resilience.

Build Back Better offers householders the chance to install flood resilience measures up to the value of £10,000 when repairing their properties following a flood claim, over and above the cost of any work needed to repair damage and loss. This way, their home will be better prepared and protected to keep as much water out as possible, should a future event occur. Measures can also be installed so that, if water does enter the property, it is easier, quicker and safer for families to clean up and move back in – measures that could mean the difference between being away from their home for days as opposed to many months.

All eligible new and renewing home policies from 1 January 2025, will automatically include
the benefits of the Build Back Better scheme.

Customers putting adaptation measures in place at the time their home is being repaired for flood damage will be reimbursed for up to £10,000 towards the cost. Build Back Better procedures could include carrying out surveys to understand the flood risk and potential mitigation; the addition of the flood resistance measures to prevent water entering the property – such as flood doors, airbrick covers and non-return valves; and flood resilience measures to reduce the impact of any water ingress – such as raised electrical sockets, hard flooring, or waterproof tiling and grout, all of which make for quicker and easier cleaning, drying, recovery and reoccupation of a property.

Jill Moffett, Performance & Product Manager, Household and Personal Lines, Pen Underwriting, said: “When a home is flooded, the financial impact is only ever part of the story, as we have witnessed so recently with the onslaught of Storm Bert that submerged hundreds of homes so quickly, while thousands were left without power and at least five lives were tragically lost. The emotional impact, upheaval and stress of being flooded can be even more distressing for individuals and families to have to deal with – not least because of the often-long periods required for cleaning up, fully drying out and effectively restoring properties before they can move home safely.

“That’s why we’re keen to encourage and incentivise our homeowner customers to take steps to implement adaptation and resilience measures as part of the repair process to ensure that the cost, duration and distress of any future flood event is minimised. Build Back Better is a fantastic way to make this change a reality and we are delighted to become part of the scheme and support our customers in improving their flood resilience, minimising future water ingress and speeding up a return to their homes and normality.”

Stuart Logue, interim CEO at Flood Re, added: “It is great to see the Build Back Better scheme gaining increased traction with the rapidly expanding and increasingly influential specialist MGA sector. Embracing property level flood resilience measures as part of a flood repair can provide peace of mind to householders that their home is better protected against future events and significantly reduce the physical damage and emotional stress associated with any future flooding.

“The news also marks another significant step towards our goal for Build Back Better to become a standard offering in the UK for home insurance policies, increasing the resilience of homes across the UK in the face of climate change and increased flooding.”