Recent floods in France: a high human and financial cost

Written by The Meilleurtaux editorial team .Updated on
December 17, 2024 .
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Published on
Wednesday December 18, 2024 07:13by the Meilleurtaux Editorial Team

Extreme weather events are increasing in France, leading to increasingly significant consequences. The floods that occurred on October 17 and 18, 2024 bear witness to this. According to estimates from the Central Reinsurance Fund (CCR), these bad weather caused damages estimated at between 350 and 420 million euros.

A heavy toll for policyholders

This considerable amount reflects the extent of the damage caused by these torrential rains. Nearly 35,000 victims have been recorded in several regions, notably the Center-East, the South-East and Île-de-France.. Homes, businesses and infrastructure have been severely affected, leading to significant material losses for individuals and businesses.

These events highlight the importance of having a home insurance adapted. This contract allows policyholders to be compensated in the event of damage caused by natural disasters, such as floods.

However, the increase in frequency and intensity of these natural phenomena has a direct impact on insurance costs.

Furthermore, the CCR, which manages the natural disaster regime, has seen its costs increase significantly in recent years. In 2023, the institution recorded a loss of 112 million euros, due to a growing number of claims and an increasing average cost per claim.

ImportantFaced with this situation, the government decided to raise the “CatNat surcharge”which finances this scheme. From 2025, this will increase from +12% to +20%, which will result in a surge in insurance prices for the French.

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Adaptation to climate change

Due to climate change, these extreme weather events are becoming more and more frequent and intense.

To cope with this, it is necessary to implement adaptation measures at all levels:

• Improvement of prevention and warning systems: it is imperative to strengthen the monitoring and forecasting networks for natural risks, in order to better anticipate these incidents and organize relief more effectively.
• Strengthening infrastructure: flood protection structures must be regularly maintained and adapted to new challenges.
• Land use planning: land use planning policies must take these threats into account and prioritize nature-based solutions, such as wetland restoration.
• Raising public awareness: citizens must be made aware of the risks linked to these events and encouraged to adopt responsible behavior.

Recent floods are a reminder of the vulnerability of our territory in the face of these increasingly devastating climatic hazards. It is urgent to take appropriate measures to better protect ourselves and limit their impacts.

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