Flood Re's Build Back Better scheme explained

What Build Back Better is

Build Back Better (BBB) is a Flood Re initiative. It lets householders install property flood resilience measures when they repair a home after a flood ¹. The aim is to reduce the cost and impact of future floods ¹.

Flood Re describes BBB as putting in place measures that make a home more resistant or resilient to flooding ². It is paid for as part of a flood insurance claim, on top of the cost of repairs ².

How much it pays

Flood Re says householders can install measures up to the value of £10,000 ¹. That is a ceiling, not a promise. Each insurer sets its own limit, so you should check with yours ².

Who can use it

BBB is not automatic. It only applies if your insurer offers it and you are repairing flood damage ¹. Flood Re lists the insurers that offer BBB, and others that have committed but are not yet live, on its Build Back Better page ¹. Offers can differ between insurers ¹.

If you want BBB, speak to your broker or insurer before you buy a policy ¹⁴. Flood Re’s own FAQ on this was dated 17 January 2024, so check its Build Back Better page for the current list of insurers ⁴.

The Environment Agency describes Flood Re as an organisation that helps provide more affordable home insurance to people in high flood risk areas ⁷. Flood Re’s eligibility rules include ⁵:

• the policy is held by one or more individuals;
• the property is in Council Tax bands A to H, or equivalent;
• the property was built before 1 January 2009;
• it is used privately, as a home;
• it has one residential unit, or two or three.

Flats can qualify in some cases. Leasehold blocks qualify only if they have three units or fewer and the freeholder lives in one of them ⁵. Blocks with more than three flats are not expected to qualify for buildings cover ⁵. These rules are from a page dated 7 May 2024 ⁵. The Flood Re pages we read do not set out a single test for BBB itself, so ask your insurer.

What it pays for

The costs covered are those of building back better, beyond repairing the flood damage ². Flood Re gives these examples ²:

• flood resistance measures, such as flood doors;
• flood resilience measures, such as replacing damaged parts of the home with more flood-resilient materials, like hard floors.

Flood Re’s case studies also mention measures such as sump pumps, waterproof membranes, flood barriers, automatic air bricks, non-return valves and raised gas meters ¹. These are examples. They are not a full list of what an insurer will accept.

Flood Re also says the reimbursement can include the cost of surveys to understand the flood risk and possible ways to reduce it ².

How it works in practice

Insurers handle BBB claims differently ³. In general, after a flood the insurer works with the policyholder to assess whether extra resilience measures would help if the home floods again ³. The householder chooses whether to accept them ³.

How resilience measures fit in

Property flood resilience means measures that reduce the risk of damage to individual properties and speed up recovery ⁷. The Environment Agency says it can make the difference between staying at home and having to move out for many months after a flood ⁷. It estimates that in a significant flood, measures could avoid repair costs of up to 70% compared with a home without them ⁷.

What a survey involves

We could not find an official page that sets out a general survey checklist. A government research report says an Independent Flood Risk Assessor must be able to identify the most appropriate resistance or resilient measures, given the flood, the people at risk and how the building performs under flood conditions ⁶. The report says the assessor needs a thorough understanding of ⁶:

• flood risks and their sources;
• how the building is constructed;
• the range of available property-level protection products;
• the needs and abilities of the person and family living in the property.

That report was published on 23 February 2021 ⁶. Ask your insurer who carries out the survey and whether it is covered under your policy.

Where to get help

Start with your broker or insurer, then Flood Re’s Build Back Better page ¹⁴.