Investment needed to protect homes from flood risk

19 June 2009

Responding to today's report from the Environment Agency on protecting homes in England from future floods, Martin Hall, Director of Home Underwriting at Direct Line Home Insurance said: "We agree with the findings in today's reports from the Environment Agency, saying that flooding poses an increasing threat to homes and businesses due to climate change. Direct Line will continue to provide affordable flood cover for all our customers for the foreseeable future, and will work with the Environmental Agency to achieve this aim. With 1 in 6 homes in England currently at risk of flooding, action must be taken now. Longer term planning and ring fenced financing of flood protection and prevention schemes must be assured if we are to successfully protect increasing numbers of those most at risk from flooding in the future."