[ Flood warning: how long will insurers step into the breach? ]

A year ago this month, Hull, a city of more than a quarter of a million people, was hit by a flood of almost biblical proportions. The rain fell at an astonishing rate – 18 Olympic-sized swimming pools every second – and when it finally stopped, 17,000 homes and 92 schools were damaged, many beyond repair. Thousands of Hull families are still putting their lives back together, with little help from the rest of the country.

As the British summer gets off (yet again) to a very damp start, more families around the UK may be worrying that they could share the fate of the people of Hull. So what is being done? The Environment Agency says it has been busy learning the lessons of last summer's floods, which affected large parts of the UK. Let's hope it is true to its word as the waters have just risen in the South-west.

Fortunately, the insurance industry has been honouring its promise so far to continue to insure homes in areas deemed at risk of flooding. But the question has to be asked: how long will this commitment last? Insurers are getting increasingly twitchy about the paucity of government spending on flood defences and measures to stop river estuary flooding.

Around £800m a year is earmarked for defences until 2011, but as flood events seem to get more dramatic and expensive, this doesn't look anywhere near enough money. Another summer of paying out on expensive claims could tempt some firms to break ranks and announce an end date to their commitment.

Originally published 1 June 2008 - www.independent.co.uk

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