THE TIDE IS CHANGING FOR WATERFRONT LIVING
Living near water, particularly the sea, is a rite of passage for Kiwis, but unfortunately many of those areas will be prone to flooding when sea levels rise.
According to Lloyd’s of London’s Insurance Risk Report, New Zealand is the second-riskiest country in the world when it comes to natural disasters. Only Bangladesh is ahead.
The risk of flooding has long been a fact of life in many coastal communities across the country, but increasingly volatile conditions due to the changing climate may mean more serious, and more frequent floods.
A major storm surge and coastal flooding in Wellington last year was a reminder the sea is lapping close to a lot of Kiwis’ front doors. The question, says Canterbury University civil systems engineering lecturer Tom Logan, is who will pay when the water crosses those front doors?
Insurance companies have made it clear they will be reluctant and the Insurance Council expects people to adapt to climate change and make localised decisions that will not leave their property uninsurable.
A major report released at the end
