Aviva chief: new homes are being built that could become uninsurable because of flood risk

# What the story says Aviva's chief executive, Amanda Blanc, told the BBC that England is ''for sure'' building homes that could become uninsurable in the future because flood risk is increasing. She pointed to current building patterns that would place large numbers of new homes inside known flood zones.

# Numbers and findings to know

• Environment Agency: about 6.3 million homes and businesses in England are at risk of flooding.
• Aviva research: one in nine homes built between 2022 and 2024 faces medium to high flood risk.
• Aviva projection: 115,000 new homes will be built in flood zones over the next decade if current plans continue.
• For 2024 specifically, nearly a third of new homes will be at risk of some flooding by 2050, and one in seven will be at medium to high risk as extreme weather becomes more acute.

# What Amanda Blanc recommends and warns Blanc argues that planners and developers need to think carefully about where homes are built. She said building at or bordering flood zones ''doesn't seem to make sense'' given the known risks and the prospect that some properties might later become uninsurable. She also said properties on the edge of flood zones require different design and construction approaches to reduce vulnerability.

# Policy and government response quoted in the story Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) described record investment in flood protection, saying nearly 900,000 properties have been protected against flooding and that planning proposals aim to stop housebuilding in flood-risk areas. The department also cited a government target to build 1.5 million homes without compromising safety.

# Insurance and investment context Aviva highlighted that it already invests heavily in the UK — more than £100 billion overall and around £35 billion into infrastructure such as hospitals, schools and wind farms — and said it is prepared to deploy capital into UK infrastructure projects. Blanc said detail and policy clarity are needed to turn investment intent into deliverable projects.

# Wider implications The story links increasing flood frequency and growing exposure to potential insurance market consequences. If homes are built in areas that become too risky for private insurers, homeowners could face higher premiums, limited cover options, or the need for government-backed schemes. The story references wider debate about planning rules and how they are applied in practice.

# Bottom line The combination of known flood zones, rising extreme-weather frequency, and continued housebuilding in exposed areas is creating a situation where some newly built homes may ultimately be hard or impossible to insure. That creates practical choices for planners, builders, insurers, investors and prospective buyers about where—and how—to build.