Germany: Insurers demand a stop to building new homes in flood-risk areas

Insurers in Germany have warned that new homes continue to be built in flood-risk areas in the country. In the last 23 years, over 32,000 residential buildings have been constructed in high-risk areas.

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According to GDV, around 2.7 million new residential buildings have been built in Germany since 2000, with over 32,000 of them in flood areas. Around 1,000 to 2,400 new residential buildings were added to the risk areas every year. A total of around 270,000 residential buildings are now located in high-risk flood areas in Germany.

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Climate-adapted Construction

The GDV has called for reforms to construction and planning laws. From the insurers’ point of view, building regulations in Germany have not yet taken into account the effects of climate change and its consequences, GDV said. Therefore, the association demands that the protection goal “climate-adapted construction” be included in the building legislation.

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