Insurers incorrect flood risk assessment on home cause high premiums Please Help?

Jwith

Insurers are saying I am medium flood risk. First I've heard of it. Lived here 60 years and parents before me. Government flood sites show that the home is low flood risk. There is absolutely no flood risk to this property or locally. Nowhere near  a water course. In a city area so no surface flooding as there is very good drainage.  So not in a valley, not by a river !!!!! Solid construction house built in 1930's .  When asked about flooding I have stated NONE . No previous issue getting insurance but now premiums high or excess very high or will not insure any property in the area?? Where can I challenge the incorrect info being given to underwriters?  I realise there are different  risk assessment firms that provide info to underwriters but this is ridiculous. I cannot challenge it at all.
The insurers and insurance brokers cannot help with this. All they can say is "this is what the  computer screen  shows!" !!!!!!  Understanding the problem only one large broker has tried  to help and came back with "there is no one we can  refer to you about it." Losing the will.
There is  no one that can tell me where to go to deal with this and correct it at source as no one can tell me what the source is. Even when they have the screens infront of them ,Presumably it is just an algorithm. that comes up with this nonsense from the postcode.
Another case of faceless bureaucracy gone haywire. This is going to cost me a lot of money needlessly.
 Is it another ploy for insurers to make money out of people by Increasing the rate of risk when it does not exist at all.?
So my sympathy to anyone in a flood area as you will stand no chance. If they are saying  my house is medium risk when there is no risk at all and putting up the price or refusing to insure  the area ( area low risk on UK government website )then what chance does anyone near a river have? Helpful advice would be appreciated as to where to take this to challenge information held.
Cheers

Thrugelmir

What's your source of info? 

Sandtree

How do you know flood risk is the main cause of the premiums? The average contact centre agent won't know and clearly online systems give you a price and thats it.

There are several different flood models available to insurers such as the Environment Agency, RMS, EquiCat, AIR and inevitably others that I don't know of. On top of external models insurers build up their own claims experience but that would only spike a small number of insurers if its a hyperlocalised issue that doesnt impact you or the broader area.

Jwith

thanks The insurers  have advised me that it is the flood risk  that has caused the issue. Flood excess is high and I am being told that we are at meduim risk which does not appear so.

Jwith

Thanks for info I realise there are different risk assessors etc but thought there might be an overriding body to approach to resolve this. Insurers ,brokers and Underwriters do not seem able to assist. Surprised to find a large insurer not covering the entire area due to  "probably the flagged flood risk "  The gov.uk Flood risk summary for the area is  a) rivers and sea LOW b) surface water  LOW   The government site states 
"This service uses computer models to assess ...long term risk from: rivers and the sea ,surface water, reservoirs, some groundwater ....results indicator of an area’s flood risk, particularly the likelihood of surface water flooding."
From this info there should be no reason for blanket non coverage of the area due to flooding. It seems that non of these risk assessors have taken into account the government model. 
Many thanks keep safe everyone. 

lisyloo

Flood risk for insurers does not mean just environmental issues. It can also mean people in your postcode leaving their taps on or having leaks that flooded their house. I believe the insurer is saying there has been high claims experience in your postcode and I think you’re going to find that hard to disprove as they don’t tend to share claims data. Have you shopped around?

TELLIT01

Insurers work from flood risk maps, and it's entirely possible that information on there is wrong.  I am aware of at least one instance where the level of a road and river have been transposed, suggesting the road is below river level.  Ask the insurer for more information about their risk assessment as a first step.

MIC_78

A specialist insurer such as Towergate may be able to offer you cover if mainstream insurers aren't willing to do so.

If insurers are declining cover for an entire area it's likely to be a result of a high number of previous flood claims and major flood events in the area - for example Humberside is a common area for exclusions such as this. But regardless each insurer makes their own assessment of risk (and they are entitled to do so) and it's not uncommon for insurers to hold a different view of risk to bodies such as the government or the Environment Agency - most insurers will use sophisticated analytical models and data from a number of sources including specialist flood maps and weather data to determine their view of risk.

Ultimately there is no 'correct' answer but insurers are entitled to their view and they're the ones left footing the bill if they provide cover and haven't accounted for a risk that later materialises. Frankly if the government are so confident your property is such a low risk maybe they should offer cover themselves.

Sandtree

Jwith said:

Thanks for info I realise there are different risk assessors etc but thought there might be an overriding body to approach to resolve this.

Unfortunately not, there are a number of commercial entities that produce models and each use their own propriety logic even if they are buying the same data from the Environment agency etc

Jwith

thanks all. ~As I thought no real way to challenge . Even when way off mark.  Thanks again nothing further to add.