Summit aims to reassure insurers over flood defence work in Hull and East Yorkshire

IT has been almost six years since the floods of 2007 devastated Hull, but for many businesses and residents the memories are still raw.

Figures show 6,677 properties in the city were affected, more than 2,000 of which were not insured.

Many who were insured found their premiums subsequently rocketed following the deluge, which saw the equivalent of 20 Olympic swimming pools per second falling on the Humber region.

Yesterday, insurers and underwriters from across the country visited to Hull to hear about the investments in place to ensure the devastation is never repeated.

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The Flood Summit was organised by the Insurance Partnership and saw more than 20 industry representatives heading to the Village Hotel. Its aim was to highlight how "massive investments" are dramatically reducing the number of homes and businesses that would be hit by rising water should similar downpours hit the region.

It was also a fact-sharing event, to see how the industry can use increasingly advanced technical data to make uninsurable properties insurable.

Richard Tuplin, director at the Insurance Partnership, said his aim was to "stay away from the politics and just get back to basics".

He said: "Knowledge is key and this event was about sharing that knowledge, which will ultimately help businesses and private residents.

"There were 22 people here from insurers with underwriting authority who are now able to report back on what has been done in Hull and East Yorkshire since the floods, as well as future investments.

"I think some were surprised about the amount of flood defence work going on, and the amount of sophisticated data which can reveal the real levels of risk with regards to flooding.

"Working out how to share this data will make a massive improvement in the future."

Speakers at the event included Steve Wragg, flood defence risk manager for flood risk planning manager at Hull City Council, Karen Robson, from the Environment Agency, and Andrew McLachlan, Hull City Council's flood risk manager.

Andrea Jacques, of AXA in Leeds, said: "I have never been to an event like this before

"Now, because technology is so advanced, AXA already uses software which can actually pinpoint a specific building in an area, rather than just look at it in terms of a postcode.

"It gives such a great level of understanding that consequently we can underwrite a lot more risks in Hull."