Climate adaptation and mitigation

We want to help our customers on the one hand to limit climate-related damage or loss (adaptation) and on the other to reduce their carbon footprint (mitigation).

Climate adaptation

Climate adaptation means adapting to climate change in order to increase resilience to the effects of climate change. Our insurance policies cover flood risk from non-primary flood defences as standard for both retail and business customers. On top of this, via the Dutch Association of Insurers and in partnership with the government, Achmea is actively working on the development of flood insurance for primary flood defences.

Rising sea levels and increased river discharge could raise flood risk unless the government takes adequate adaptation measures. Insurance that covers breaches in primary flood defences will give policyholders better protection against floods from the sea, inland waterways and major rivers.

Retail and business customers insured in the event of flooding in the Netherlands

Climate change means that flooding is a more frequent occurrence. This can sometimes have enormous repercussions for our customers. As we wish to insure our customers properly against this risk, Achmea is one of the first insurers to provide insurance cover against flooding from non-primary flood defences. This applies to insurance policies for buildings, tenant’s fixtures and fittings, homes, plant and equipment, contents and stock. By flooding we mean an overflow of water from rivers, lakes, ditches or canals due to the unforeseen collapse, overtopping or failure of dykes, embankments, locks or other non-primary flood defences.

In 2022, we also included cover for flood risk from non-primary flood defences for businesses. The summer of 2021 saw major flooding in the province of Limburg. We provided assistance to all those customers affected (both retail and business) by the 2021 floods. In doing so we took on the task of sorting out recourse schemes with the government.