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Page last updated at = 11:00 GMT,=20 Friday, 11 July 2008 12:00 UK

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Insurers agree flood cover deal

=20

Flooding left much of England under = water=20 during the summer of = 2007

Millions of homes will continue to get = flood cover=20 under a deal struck by the government and the insurance=20 industry.=20

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) had threatened = to stop=20 offering flood damage protection unless ministers put more = cash into=20 defences.=20

The industry said it would still offer cover to people at = moderate risk and existing customers at significant risk.=20

The deal depends on the government delivering = improvements to=20 flood defences due within five years.

Under a new plan of action, the government has promised a = long-term investment strategy in defences.=20

It says it will also ensure that the planning system will = stop=20 inappropriate development in flood-risk areas.=20

3D""
FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME

3D""

More from=20 Today=20 programme
Environment=20 Minister Phil Woolas told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: = "The=20 insurance companies, very reasonably say that it's necessary = to have=20 a long-term strategy.=20

"We're looking at, of course, coastal flooding as well as = river=20 flooding and surface-water flooding, to ensure that the = increased=20 investment that we have - and we have increased investment = in flood=20 defences in this country quite substantially - are sustained = in the=20 long term."=20

Climate change predictions had changed, with information = from=20 scientists suggesting that "extreme weather conditions are = going to=20 increase in the decades to come - and that requires a = long-term=20 strategy as well", Mr Woolas added.=20

The ABI's Justin Jacobs said: "What we've agreed with the = government is that if they can make sure as many people as = possible=20 are protected, we'll be able to make sure we can offer = affordable=20 insurance to all our customers who want it.=20

"The pressure remains on the government because they must = deliver=20 those defences to people in order make sure we can offer = affordable=20 insurance."=20

The ABI had been highly critical of the amount of money = ministers=20 had pledged for flood defence work.=20

It said 517,000 homes were at significant risk of being = flooded.=20

Previously, the ABI's director general Stephen Hadrill = had=20 accused the government of "completely failing to grasp the=20 importance of improving Britain's flood defences in the wake = of the=20 devastating floods across the UK".=20

During 2007, flooding cost the ABI's members =A33bn in = claims.=20

Insurers were confronted with four years' worth of claims = in just=20 two months, with 180,000 claims for homes, businesses and = cars.=20

Are you affected by the issues in this story? Have you = had=20 problems insuring your home because of flooding in the area? = What=20 have been your experiences? Send us your comments using the = form=20 below.

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