ESI Adds National Groundwater Flood Risk Map to Ambiental’s Flood Model
Flood modelling experts partner with one of the UK’s leading hydrogeology, flood risk and groundwater data providers to deliver ever more detailed analysis for the insurance markets.
ESI and Ambiental have today formally announced that they have incorporated the ESI National Groundwater Flood Risk Map into Ambiental’s UKFloodMap4™. Covering 100% of the UK, with a full range of return periods, and integrating the most up-to-date river flow and rainfall data, UKFloodMap4™ provides the most detailed flood maps currently available for the UK, greatly improving the way insurers assess flood risk at the individual address/building level. Groundwater flooding represents one of the most complex areas of flood risk modelling and is more difficult to predict than fluvial, pluvial (surface water) and coastal flood risk sources.
It is one of the three largest infrastructural risks facing the UK in future years*, together with climate change and shrink/swell subsidence. In response to this ESI’s Groundwater Flood Model delivers a comprehensive dataset that addresses wider groundwater flooding risks, using detailed algorithms and predictive toolsets. The ESI Groundwater Flood Model has been integrated within Ambiental’s UKFloodMap4™ product suite delivering address level UK wide flood models for multi-peril flood mapping. Ambiental will be licenced to incorporate the data and act as a reseller on behalf of ESI. Groundwater flooding can often produce significant losses due to the long duration of the phenomenon. By ascribing a return period probability to groundwater flooding this enables more accurate risk pricing, loss modelling and accumulation control by ensuring a consistent approach to multi-source flood risk rating.
The interrelationship between soil geology, topography and the built environment challenges the more traditional models. In the context of the Flood Re scheme implementation insurers need more detail on all risks, so as to better specify risk premiums and technical pricing, not just from rivers and surface water, but from flooding in all its forms. Stuart Pearce, Chief Executive of ESI Limited said: “We are delighted to be working with Ambiental to enhance their flood modelling to their insurance clients. The Groundwater Flood Risk Map marks a new chapter in holistic flood risk analysis, ensuring an ever more accurate risk assessment and greater clarity for property and infrastructure owners.”
Justin Butler, MD of Ambiental said: “Our clients are demanding ever more granular detail in order to make critical business decisions, both in terms of refining flood underwriting strategies and in response to FloodRE. Groundwater flooding can significantly exacerbate surface water flood risk, and flood mapping datasets currently on the market do not consider this risk explicitly. We recognised ESI’s clear market leading expertise on hydrogeology modelling and the incorporation of the new Groundwater Flood Risk Map Dataset further enhances our unique value proposition and reputation as leading flood modelling experts.”