Floods 2023: One year later, where is the compensation in Pas-de-Calais?

Faced with the significant floods of November 2023 in Pas-de-Calais, the France Bleu Nord program welcomes Guillaume Derouvroy, secretary general of AGEA Hauts-de-France. He discusses disaster management, the support provided by local agents and the persistent challenges in repairing and compensating victims. Despite rapid treatment and significant support, certain complex cases remain, particularly linked to discoveries during the work.

The commitment of local agents

The floods of November 2023 led to an exemplary mobilization of insurance agents in Hauts-de-France. Experts from across the country assisted in the assessment and compensation of damages. Most of the homes were assessed within the first month, and psychological support was necessary to ease the anxiety of the victims. Despite this assistance, technical details, such as unforeseen discoveries during the work, slowed down some repairs.

The complexity of insurance in flood zones

Guillaume Derouvroy specifies that, although insurance against flooding is included in contracts via the natural disaster guarantee, insurance in flood zones remains complex. The lack of law requiring insurers to cover these areas complicates the situation. Some policyholders may see their contracts terminated after several losses. Additionally, insurance premiums could increase following these events to cover the increasing costs of natural disasters.

Efforts still needed

Although the majority of victims have been relocated, specific cases remain to be resolved. Delays may occur due to unavailability of tradesmen or problems not identified during initial inspections. Insurance has fulfilled its role, but the pending projects now depend on coordination between policyholders and construction professionals. Finally, a message of solidarity is sent to the Spanish regions recently affected by similar floods.