Figures from the Association of British Insurers in flooding in the UK

• The ABI estimated that storm and flood damage claims following the 2000 floods amounted to between £700m and £750m.
• There are currently more than two million homes within a flood risk area, and an additional two million homes are within 100 metres of a flood risk area. An estimate 250,000 new homes have planning approval within flood plain areas.
• The Environment Agency predicted that there is likely to be a 10-fold increase in the risk of flooding over the next century, and The Foresight Report confirmed that is one of the likely costs of global warming if it continues.

For further information on flooding visit the Environment Agency website.

According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), there are currently more than 400,000 properties in and at high risk and in need of flood alleviation or protection, and over 2.2 million properties at risk. In addition the Foresight Report, published by the government in April 2004, warns of significant increases in flooding in the future.