Information on Completed OPW Flood Defence Schemes - OPW Memorandum of Understanding with Insurance Ireland

Since March 2014, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been in place between the Office of Public Works (OPW) and Insurance Ireland, the representative organisation for the insurance industry in Ireland, on the exchange of Information on completed flood defence schemes.

The MoU outlines the principles of agreement between the OPW and Insurance Ireland on the information being provided on completed flood defence schemes and how it will be used by the insurance industry to facilitate, to the greatest extent possible, the availability to the public of insurance against the risk of flooding within these protected areas. The information provided to Insurance Ireland on completed flood defence schemes shows the design, extent and nature of the protections offered by these schemes. Insurance Ireland members are taking into account the information provided by the OPW when assessing exposure to flood risk within these areas.

As set out above, Insurance Ireland members have committed to take into account the information provided by the OPW when assessing exposure to flood risk within these protected areas. It is important to note that the MoU does not guarantee the availability of flood insurance and insurance companies make commercial decisions on the provision of insurance cover based on their assessment of the risks they would be accepting on a case-by-case basis.

Insurance Ireland operates an Insurance Information Service for those who have queries, complaints or difficulties in relation to obtaining insurance, which can be contacted at 01 676 1914 or feedback@insuranceireland.eu. Similarly, Brokers Ireland, the representative body for insurance brokers in Ireland, has access to a wide range of providers and products and can offer advice for customers when sourcing cover. Brokers Ireland can be reached at 01 661 3067. Furthermore, where an individual considers that they have been treated unfairly, they have the option of making a complaint to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO). The FSPO can be contacted either by email at info@fspo.ie or by telephone at 01 567 7000.

The OPW has provided information on the following completed flood defence schemes to Insurance Ireland.

• Ballinasloe (Derrymullen) Flood Relief Scheme

• Bray (River Dargle) Flood Relief Scheme

• Carlow (Phase A) Flood Relief Scheme

• Carlow (Phase B) Flood Relief Scheme

• Clonmel (North & East) Flood Relief Scheme

• Clonmel (West) Flood Relief Scheme

• Duleek Flood Relief Scheme

• Dunmanway Flood Relief Scheme

• Ennis (Upper) Flood Relief Scheme

• Fermoy North Flood Relief Scheme

• Fermoy South Flood Relief Scheme

• Kilkenny City (Nore) Flood Relief Scheme

• Mallow North Flood Relief Scheme

• Mallow South & West Flood Relief Scheme

• Mornington Flood Relief Scheme

• Mullingar Flood Relief Scheme

• River Dodder (Tidal)

• River Tolka (Clonee and Dunboyne) Scheme

• River Tolka (Dublin) Flood Relief Scheme

• River Tolka (Fingal) Flood Relief Scheme

• Shinkeen Stream (Hazelhatch) Flood Relief Scheme

• Spencer Dock Flood Relief Scheme

• Tullamore Flood Relief Scheme

• Waterford City (Phase 1) Flood Relief Scheme

• Waterford (Phase 2, 3 & 4) Flood Relief Scheme

Flood Maps:

The OPW, through the Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme, carried out the largest-ever flood risk study in Ireland to date, which assessed 80% of properties at risk from Ireland’s main causes of flooding. The OPW Flood Maps, which show the flood risk for 300 communities, are a key output of the study together with 29 Flood Risk Management Plans, with the proposed flood relief measures to address the flood risk in each community.

The Flood Maps are available to the public at www.floodinfo.ie. However, it is important to note that they are community based maps. The maps were not designed to designate individual properties at risk. Therefore they do not show individual properties and they do not identify if a property close to an extent is, or is not, within an area at risk of flooding. The maps show the probable extent of flooding based on future projections. The Disclaimer and Conditions for the use of OPW Flood Maps on www.floodinfo.ie includes a provision that users of the website must not use the Flood Maps or any other content of the website for commercial purposes. As such, the Disclaimer prevents insurance companies from using the flood maps generated by the OPW.

The insurance industry has its own flood modelling tools for assessing the level of risk that it is willing to underwrite in relation to individual properties. Insurance Ireland has highlighted to the OPW that its members do not use the OPW Flood Maps to inform their flood modelling and the decision on whether to offer insurance, the level of premiums charged and the policy terms applied are matters for individual insurers. Insurance companies make commercial decisions on the provision of insurance cover based on their assessment of the risks they would be accepting on a case-by-case basis.