Flood Re begins targeted social media campaign to raise awareness around Storm Desmond anniversary

As winter arrives, Flood Re is calling for residents of high flood risk areas to take the opportunity to access more affordable flood cover

One year on from the start of Storm Desmond – which began on 4 December 2015 and affected Cumbria, parts of Lancashire and the Scottish Border region – Flood Re has begun a social media advertising campaign to raise awareness about how the new government and insurance industry scheme has changed the market for homeowners who need affordable flood insurance and may have struggled to find or afford insurance in the past. The scheme is targeted at those worst affected by flooding in areas such as Cumbria and Yorkshire.

Following the recent appearance of Storm Angus, the first major one to hit the UK this winter, the scheme has committed to continuing its efforts to ensure as many eligible homes in the UK as possible benefit from more affordable flood insurance.

The campaign centres on Facebook and will be targeted towards people in areas at risk of flooding to raise awareness of the scheme and encourage people to go on the website to find out how Flood Re can help. Flood Re recognises that not everybody has access to the internet or social media but continues to do everything we can to get the message out that people should ‘shop around.’

Brendan McCafferty, CEO of Flood Re, said: “Nationally, Flood Re has already taken on over 53,000 policies since launch in April. The scheme is changing the market for householders in flood risk areas across the UK.

“However we are not complacent and believe it is important that we do more to raise awareness about our existence in flood-prone parts of the UK. We want people who have previously struggled to find affordable home insurance cover in the past to know that they should now have a range of options.

“With the arrival of winter, and around the one year anniversary of Storm Desmond, people in flood-prone parts of the country should check the Flood Re website to see which insurance providers are participating and find out more about the scheme. Those with insurance should speak to their current provider and everyone should be prepared to shop around as the market is becoming increasingly competitive and affordable. When buying a policy, people in flood-prone areas should make sure it is the best one for them and not just the cheapest.”

The establishment of Flood Re has enabled insurers to offer competitive premiums and lower excesses to high flood risk homes across the country. In the first six months after launch on 4 April 2016, Flood Re backed 53,000 policies across the UK. The number of insurance providers signed up to support the scheme is now at 41 – up from 16 insurers on launch date – which represents 90% of the overall home insurance market.