Aviva's Simon Warsop on flood resilience

I'm sure we all remember the scenes of devastation caused by Storms Desmond and Eva at the start of the year, with thousands of people flooded out of their homes and livelihoods literally washed away.

Flooding can have a devastating effect on homeowners, businesses and communities, and the impact can be long-lasting.

Helping home and business owners get back on their feet after a traumatic event is what insurers do best and during those times our priority is to provide the emergency support and help that's needed. Last winter, Aviva alone managed over 2000 flood claims from Storms Desmond and Eva and the final bill for repairs across the industry is expected to reach £1.3bn.

Availability of flood insurance has improved and, since the launch of Flood Re on 4 April, many homeowners in high-risk areas are now shopping around for their insurance for the first time, as well as benefiting from lower excesses. Brokers are now able to access Flood Re quotes through many insurers, helping to further improve the availability of cover to those who live in high-risk areas.

But Flood Re is a 25-year solution and flood insurance is only part of the jigsaw. With the threat of flooding set to rise, a more cohesive long-term strategy from government is needed to help protect more homes and businesses from future floods.

Flooding has been back on the government's agenda in recent weeks with the Environmental Audit Committee's report and, in June, Aviva gave evidence to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, alongside the Association of British Insurers and Flood Re to discuss the future of flood risk management.

Aviva, with the industry, has long campaigned for increased spending on flood defences. But with flooding becoming more frequent, future flood risk management should also be about minimising the damage caused, as well as helping to prevent events happening in the first place.

The committee heard how resilient and flood-resistant repairs help reduce the amount of damage and allow owners to be back in their properties more quickly. Cost-neutral resilient repairs have been installed for many years but despite help and encouragement from insurers, take-up of resilient and resistant measures remains low.

Better education and greater incentives from government are needed, particularly to demonstrate the benefits of installing these measures before a flood happens. For businesses, this could prove invaluable, enabling them to be back up and trading much sooner.

Already this summer we've seen flash floods and heavy downpours. Continued debate is essential but with recent political distractions, greater emphasis on government action is needed now before businesses and homeowners suffer again next winter.