The British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA), the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and Flood Re have marked four years since the launch of the Flood Insurance Directory, reporting increased use of the service as flood risk and affordability remain key concerns for the UK home insurance market.
The directory, launched in February 2022, is designed to help households in flood-prone areas find suitable cover where they may otherwise struggle.
Since going live, it has supported more than 35,000 households in their search for flood insurance, with enquiries up by 50%, when comparing the 12-month periods from October 2022 and October 2024. The initiative runs alongside the government and industry-backed Flood Re scheme, which now cedes are record 346,200 policies and has helped more than 660,000 households to secure flood cover to date.
Floods Minister Emma Hardy said the latest usage figures underline the value of targeted support for households facing flood risk.
“Flooding has a devastating and lasting impact on households, so it is great to hear that the Flood Insurance Directory is making a real difference for households facing flood risk, helping them find suitable cover and peace of mind," she said, adding that the government is spending at least £10.5 billion up until 2036 to build and repair flood defences in England.
"[I]nitiatives like this are further examples of what can be achieved when government and industry work together. I welcome the continued efforts to raise awareness of the directory to ensure homeowners know their options and can secure the protection they need," Hardy said.
Official assessments suggest the scale of the challenge is growing. The Environment Agency’s latest reporting indicates that around 6.3 million homes and businesses in England are in areas at risk of flooding, up from an estimated 5.5 million in 2018, with numbers projected to rise further as the climate warms.
Industry figures have warned that maintaining availability and affordability of insurance will depend on both physical resilience measures and continued collaboration between government and the market.
The latest directory numbers also reflect the impact of an industry signposting agreement introduced in September 2022. Under the agreement, firms that decline flood cover, or only offer terms with flood exclusions, agree to direct customers to the directory so they can explore alternative options.
Graeme Trudgill, BIBA chief executive, said the arrangement is feeding through into higher usage.
“Four years on, the Flood Insurance Directory operated by BIBA continues to deliver on its promise. It is helping thousands of people find the protection they need for their homes. The increase in usage shows that signposting works, and we’re proud to see the industry come together to support those in need," Trudgill said.
The directory was developed in response to the Independent Review of Flood Insurance in Doncaster, which identified continuing difficulties for some high‑risk communities in obtaining cover despite the existence of Flood Re. Working with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), BIBA, the ABI and Flood Re developed the directory and the signposting agreement as a joint response.
The approach sits alongside other UK signposting initiatives intended to ensure that customers with non‑standard or higher‑risk profiles are pointed towards specialist providers rather than left without options.
Flood Re has materially improved affordability for many high-risk homes that meet its criteria, but it does not cover all properties.
Certain leasehold and build‑to‑rent properties, buy‑to‑let homes and dwellings built after 2009 are among those outside the scope of the scheme. The Flood Insurance Directory is intended to help fill some of those gaps by directing consumers towards insurers and brokers with appetite and expertise in flood‑exposed risks.
The directory currently lists 24 approved insurers and brokers that are able to consider flood‑prone properties. Consumers can search for participating firms via the BIBA website at www.biba.org.uk/Flood-insurance-directory.
The four‑year milestone is being viewed within the sector as part of a wider effort to manage rising catastrophe risk while keeping cover available.
Climate projections suggest both the frequency and severity of UK flooding will increase, and the Environment Agency has warned that flood risk could affect around one in four properties in England by 2050 without further action.
Market participants expect tools such as the Flood Insurance Directory, together with Flood Re, continued investment in defences and property‑level resilience measures, to remain central to how the UK insurance industry responds to escalating flood risk over the rest of the decade and beyond.
