Anger over premiums

HOUSES and offices more than 60ft above the Ouse at Lewes are being hit by the same high insurance increases as those on the flood-plain, according to two private landlords in the town.

Michael Cotgrove and Sheila Wood claim that insurance company, Cornhill, has effectively divided the town into two - and the cut-off point appears to be areas including Station Street and Fisher Street.

To the west the town is deemed 'dry' and to the east deemed flood-prone.

This is reflected in insurance premium increases which, say the couple, are as low as 12 per cent to the west (BN7 1) and as high as 89 per cent to the east (BN7 2).

Among the areas, therefore, deemed at risk of flooding are School Hill which rises steeply above the Cliffe.

Said Sheila Wood: 'We are landlords and we own several properties in Lewes. This year we were not surprised to be asked for a substantial increase in the premium. But before paying up, we sat down and analysed the demand from Cornhill carefully.

'BN7 1 premiums have incurred an increase of 12 per cent. For other properties, with the postcode BN7 2, we are being asked to pay an 89 per cent premium increase.

'From this information we have deduced that Cornhill have deemed any property with the postcode BN7 2 to be at risk of flooding.

'It is true that all the property in Lewes which was flooded in October, 2000, falls within BN7 2. It is not true that all properties in that postcode are at risk of flooding.

'So far we have not been able to convince our insurers of this fact.

'We feel it is very unfair that houses, say, in St John Street or St Nicholas Lane, should have to bear the same huge increase in insurance premium when they are not remotely at risk of flood.'

A Cornhill spokesman yesterday said she could not comment at length without checking the situation carefully.

However, computers decided the premiums from data placed in them based on previous experience.

Sometimes there could be an error which should be brought to the company's attention.