A good industry flood response

Who will take the rap for the consequences of the recent deluges across large parts of the country? The government, the Environment Agency, the insurance industry, or all of us for our cavalier attitude to global warming?

The focus over the past month has been on sorting out the mess and getting communities back on their feet quickly. However, behind the headlines there is jockeying for position in advance of the post-flood fall-out. So far, the insurance industry looks well positioned for the debates to come.

The biggest challenge for the industry is to deal with the tens of thousands of claims efficiently and fairly, being honest about what is achievable and delivering any promises it makes. This is in the hands of the insurers, adjusters, damage management specialists and brokers. The industry has risen to the occasion. Almost every newspaper has run stories about how the industry is coping and the number of negative stories that have come out of this is negligible, almost always down to poor communication and management of expectations. Of course, there are huge hurdles to be overcome yet as the re-building and repairs start in earnest but the claims side of the business is doing its bit.

As is the Association of British Insurers. As members concentrate on the claims, the ABI has played the media and political field with skill. It had laid the groundwork with its persistent lobbying on climate change and flood defences. It has avoided making comments on the recent crisis sound like "I told you so" but it has left the politicians in little doubt that its warnings about the consequences of climate change now need to be heeded and acted upon urgently.

Will the government listen? To judge by housing minister Yvette Cooper's statement on launching the Housing Green Paper you would be right to be pessimistic. In a week when thousands of houses were flooded - many on the fringes of flood plains - she stood up in the House of Commons and announced that building on flood plains would continue. Inept is not the word but then this is the minister responsible for the fiasco over Home Information Packs so we should not be too surprised.

Over at the environment department, however, Hilary Benn is making more intelligent comments about increasing expenditure of flood defences and re-assessing where and what we build. The insurance industry has to harness the goodwill it has at the moment to put pressure on Benn to deliver the promises he is now making.

- David Worsfold, Secretary, All Party Group on Insurance and Financial Services.