New research by Norwich Union (NU) has revealed that one in three UK flood victims fears the threat of flooding is increasing, and nearly half believe their property will be at risk again.
Despite this, 80% of homeowners said they would not consider making changes to their homes to provide better protection against flood damage.
As a result of the report, which is the largest piece of research ever conducted among UK flood victims, NU has announced that it is launching the UK's first flood resilient demonstration house to show the steps people can take to limit the impact of a flood.
NU said its flood-resilient home shows that protective measures are relatively easy to install, drastically reduce the time taken to make the property habitable again and lower the cost of repairs.
Mary Dhonau from the National Flood Forum said: "It is impossible to quantify the emotional toll and strain caused by a flood. We would strongly advise anyone to research the potential flood risks in their area and seek advice about how these might affect their property.”
NU's report said that if flood protection has been put in place, costs for restoration could be lowered from £48,564 to as little as £8,560 per household. It also said that because damage is on a lesser scale families can return home more quickly.
