CII New Generation Claims group explains how to apply for flooding grants

The Chartered Insurance Institute’s (CII) New Generation Claims group has produced a leaflet to help individuals whose homes and businesses have been battered by storms access cash to restore their property 

To improve the flood resilience of homes and businesses, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) launched the Property Level Flood Resilience Recovery Support Scheme in England, which has been activated several times since its inception after major flooding events.

The leaflet, produced by the CII’s 2019 to 2020 New Generation Claims group, explains the scheme’s eligibility criteria and how to apply for a grant, which will contribute towards the cost of a survey and subsequent improvements to the property designed to prevent water from entering a building, or at least reduce the impact of damage when water does.

Why home insurance policies only cover reinstating a home to how it was before a flood rather than fund improvements or storm damage preventative measures is also explained by the leaflet.

The type of work that can be carried out to improve the flood resilience or resistance of homes, such as moving electrics, installing non-return valves fitted on drains and pipes, fitting automatic air brick covers, or adding water resistant kitchen units, is also detailed.

Juliusz Baranski, a member of the CII’s New Generation Claims Group and rehabilitation technician at NFU Mutual, said: “The main goal of the leaflet is to increase uptake of the grant so properties can be rebuilt to a standard that minimises the impact of further flooding. This would benefit both the property owners by reducing the damage to buildings as well as insurance companies because it will reduce the financial impact on the claim spent.”

“There is a lot of experience and expertise within the market, so it was great to be able to work with others on the project and hopefully make some difference to the public perception of insurance. The CII’s New Generation programme is a great example of how the profession and individuals working within it can come together to achieve great outcomes.”

Keith Richards, chief membership officer of the CII, added: “This leaflet provides easy to follow guidance to members of the public who have been impacted by flooding and should be shared by claims handlers.”

“This informative leaflet will help manage flood victim’s expectations of what can be done to restore their homes and businesses, details how to apply for the grant plus it explains how they can better prepare their properties for any future storms.”

Each year, the CII seeks rising stars to join the professional body’s flagship talent programme, the New Generation Group.

The 2019 to 2020 class was made up of 40 promising professionals split into four groups: claims, underwriting, broking and the London market.

Each group worked together on a project they believe could make a difference to the insurance profession and presented it to the CII’s board.

Mark Dugdale