Layer 4: Water-resilient restoration

Unfortunately, damage resulting from extreme precipitation or flooding cannot always be prevented. Furthermore, it is not always clear who is responsible for the costs in the event of water damage: the building owner or the insurance company. The aftermath of the Limburg crisis shows that an efficient and reliable system is imperative to repair damage quickly and in a climate-resilient manner. Climate-resilient restoration entails that damage is repaired in a manner that minimises damage and societal disruption when a similar precipitation event occurs in the future.

What is being done to repair damage in a climate-resilient manner?

As recommended by the Waterlogging and Flood Policy Platform, the government is taking the following steps:

• The Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and the Ministry of Justice and Security are reviewing, in collaboration with other Ministries, what they can do to ensure sufficient coverage of physical risks entailed in climate damage and to ensure the smooth and efficient handling of damages following a flood.
• In collaboration with insurance companies, options are being explored for including climate-resilient restoration in insurance terms and conditions.
• Rijkswaterstaat has explored how damaged infrastructure can be repaired in a climate-resilient manner.