The 2025 State of Flood Resilience report, launched at a live event at Lloyd’s titled “The Next Big Wave: Tackling Flood Risks in an Age of Climate Change,” highlights the urgent need for businesses to turn awareness into action.
Based on insights from over 100 senior leaders and risk professionals, the report found that while 43% of businesses have already experienced flooding, only 29.76% have a flood action plan in place. Even fewer—just 8.16%—said they feel extremely confident in managing a flood, and only 12% believe they are very prepared for extreme weather events overall. Surface water flooding, often the most unpredictable and damaging type, is a concern for 87% of respondents, yet 65% of businesses lack early warning systems to help mitigate such risks.
Business continuity (51%) and health and safety (26.5%) ranked as the top concerns in the event of a flood, underscoring the potential human and operational impact. Despite this, 93% of respondents are not using parametric insurance—an innovative solution that enables faster recovery based on pre-agreed triggers—indicating a major missed opportunity to manage financial exposure.
Previsico CEO Jonathan Jackson emphasized the growing urgency for action. “Flooding is no longer a distant possibility—it is a present and growing reality,” he said. “This report shows that while awareness is rising, meaningful action is lagging behind. We must close the gap between knowledge and resilience.” Jackson added that up to 70% of flood-related losses can be mitigated through the right strategies, including flood plans, early warning systems, and parametric insurance.
The Lloyd’s event featured a panel of experts discussing the report’s implications and broader climate-related challenges. Speakers included renowned broadcaster and conservationist Chris Packham, Estelle Herszenhorn, Head of Food System Transformation at WRAP, and Karl Limbert, UK Strategy Director at Equans. Packham commented, “We are an enormously resourceful, intelligent, adaptable, and creative species. We are in a position now where we are conscious of the damage we are doing and we ought to be addressing that. When it comes to flooding, the impacts are significant and broad. Flooding overwhelms our infrastructure and impacts our agriculture. I see climate breakdown every time I look outside my window.”
Previsico continues to work with global insurers, public sector bodies, and businesses of all sizes, providing real-time, hyperlocal flood forecasting to help clients take immediate action to protect lives, assets, and operations. As climate-related flood events escalate, the company urges both insurers and insureds to act decisively—because it’s no longer a question of if a business will be impacted, but when.
