Saxony is particularly at risk
Insurers are calling for a construction stop in flood areas
February 27, 2024, 2:52 p.m
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You don’t need the catastrophe in the Ahr Valley to be sure of the damage that floods cause to buildings. German insurers warn that the danger is still looming – and are therefore calling for a halt to construction in these areas.
According to a study, 323,000 buildings in Germany are at risk of flooding. That is why the General Association of the German Insurance Industry (GDV) is calling for a halt to new construction in endangered areas. It is dangerous that more building land is designated in flood areas and new buildings are allowed to be built, said GDV deputy general manager Anja Käfer-Rohrbach in Berlin. The study commissioned by the GDV shows “how immense the risk of flooding is in the regions and the potential for disaster this has created.”
Although the figures are official and publicly known, prevention is not on the political agenda, only the debate about the introduction of compulsory insurance against natural hazards, criticized the insurer lobbyist.
“Due to climate change and therefore more frequent extreme weather events, billions of dollars in damage are inevitable,” said Käfer-Rohrbach. According to the data collection, the approximately 323,000 addresses are located in a provisionally secured or officially designated flood area or in so-called flood risk areas. These buildings are residential, commercial, agricultural or public buildings.
Gera, Koblenz and Trier at risk
According to figures from the GDV, the rate of buildings at risk is particularly high in Saxony, Thuringia and Rhineland-Palatinate. In Saxony it is 2.89 percent, in Thuringia 2.69 percent and in Rhineland-Palatinate 2.00 percent. The independent cities of Koblenz, Gera and Trier are the most vulnerable municipalities. The Ahrweiler district, which was affected by flooding in 2021, is also in the top ten.
The GDV called on the federal government, states and local authorities to promote and adequately finance preventative measures for buildings in risk areas. Because the compulsory insurance solution required by the federal states alone cannot solve the problem. “With a pure insurance solution, the necessary costs are largely borne by the property owners and the insured community,” complained Käfer-Rohrbach.